Delta Blues
One of the earliest forms of Blues music was the Delta Blues. It came from the Mississippi Delta, region of the Untied States that runs from Memphis, Tennessee to Vicksburg, Mississippi to the Mississippi River in the West and the Yazoo River in the east.
Delta Blues is normally played with the harmonica and guitar. There is a wide range of vocal styles. The first recordings of this style was in the 1920′ and increased during the early 1930′s. The earliest recorded blues artists were Tommy Johnson, Ishman Bracey, Robert Wilkins, Big Joe Williams and Garfield Akers. Son House and Charlie Patton recorded in the early 1930′s. Robert Johnaon recorded his first sides in 1936 and the rest of his recorded music in 1937.
Alan Lomax recorded many Delta Blues artists as traveled troughout the Southern United States. He was recording music played by local people that was indiginous to the local areas. Lomax recorded thousands of songs and now are part of the Smithsonian Museum’s collection. Lomax recorded Son House, Willie Brown and Muddy Waters in 1941.
Skip James and Elmore James are not natives of the Delta but are considered Delta Bluesmen. The Blues performers traveled through the Mississippi Delta and through the neighboring states. this gave rise to the deveopment of regional styles throughout the United States, most notablyChicago and Detroit Blues.
The magor emphasis of Delta Blues was on rhythm and “bottleneck” slide. Most of the rest of the style is similar to blues styles in other regions of the country.
A list of some of the Delta Blues players
Willie Brown
James Cotton
John Lee Hooker
Son House
Mississippi John Hurt
Skip James
Robert Johnson
Tommy Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson
Robert L:ockwood, Jr.
Mississippi Fred McDowell
Blind Willie McTell
Charle Patton
Jimmie Rodgers
Johnny Shines
Sunnyland Slim
Hound Dog Taylor
Muddy Waters
Bukka Whitge
T-Model Ford
Big Joe Williams
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