Artists

R.L. Burnside: Hill Country Blues Patriarch Who Conquered Rock In the early 1950s, R.L. Burnside watched his father, two brothers, and two uncles get murdered in Chicago within a single year. In fact, two of his brothers were killed on the same day in separate, unrelated incidents. By 1959, R.L. Burnside had abandoned the city

Lucille Bogan recorded the most explicit blues of the 1930s. From Okeh to Paramount to her Bessie Jackson recordings, discover her fearless legacy.

Wynonie Harris: Mr. Blues Who Rocked Before Elvis Wynonie Harris brought a swagger to the stage that the music world had never seen. Known as “Mr. Blues,” this Omaha-born blues shouter scored fifteen Top 10 R&B hits between 1946 and 1952. In fact, he helped lay the foundation for rock and roll years before Elvis

Big Joe Turner: The Boss of the Blues Who Shook the World Count Basie walked into the Sunset Club on Twelfth Street in Kansas City and heard a voice that stopped him cold. Big Joe Turner stood behind the counter mixing drinks and belting the blues so loud the walls shook. No microphone. No amplification.

Louis Jordan: The Man Who Made the Blues Jump In 1946, a blues singer named Gatemouth Moore watched Louis Jordan tear through a set with just five musicians. The sound filled every corner of the room. As a result, Moore shook his head and said it plainly: Jordan could play just as good and just

Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock and Roll Sister Rosetta Tharpe was doing things with an electric guitar in the late 1930s that the men credited with inventing rock and roll wouldn’t attempt for another two decades. Born Rosetta Nubin on March 20, 1915, in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, she became gospel music’s first superstar.

Koko Taylor: The Unstoppable Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor was the most dominant female voice in Chicago blues for nearly half a century. Born Cora Ann Walton on September 28, 1928, near Memphis, Tennessee, she arrived in Chicago with almost nothing and built a career that earned her 29 W.C. Handy/Blues Music Awards, a

Albert Collins: The Iceman and His Fender Telecaster Legacy Albert Collins (1932-1993) earned his nickname “The Iceman” through ice-cold guitar tones and song titles, but his playing burned hot with intensity. Unlike the warm, sustained tones favored by most blues guitarists, Collins carved out a distinctive sound using a Fender Telecaster tuned to an unconventional

Lightnin’ Hopkins: The Prolific Houston Blues Legend Sam John Lightnin’ Hopkins (1912-1982) was one of the most prolific blues musicians in history, recording over 1,000 songs across four decades. Born in Centerville, Texas, Hopkins became the defining voice of Houston blues—a raw, improvisational style rooted in country blues but electric in execution. His influence stretched

Blind Willie McTell: The Powerful Story Behind His Blues The twelve-string guitar rang out on Atlanta’s Decatur Street throughout the 1930s and 1940s. One musician, Blind Willie McTell, remained a constant presence there. Moreover, he played with a fingerpicking technique that made fellow guitarists stop and listen. His fluid, syncopated style created the illusion of

Elizabeth Cotten: The Powerful Story Behind Her Music Elizabeth Cotten stood in front of college audiences in her seventies. Her fingers moved across the guitar strings in an unusual pattern. She played the instrument upside down and backwards. Her thumb picked the melody on the bass strings. Her fingers played the bass lines on the

Blind Boy Fuller: The Ultimate Guide to His Genius Blind Boy Fuller stood on the corner of Durham’s tobacco warehouses in the 1930s. His National steel-bodied guitar rang out with a distinctive metallic tone. His fingers danced across the fretboard in intricate ragtime patterns. Workers streaming from their shifts dropped coins in his cup. They

The Ultimate Guide to Reverend Gary Davis Reverend Gary Davis stood on Harlem street corners through the 1940s and 1950s. His powerful voice rang out with gospel songs. His guitar work was unlike anything most passersby had ever heard. The blind street singer created a polyphonic sound using only his thumb and index finger. He

Etta Baker: The Ultimate Piedmont Blues Guitar Genius Introduction Etta Baker stands as one of Piedmont Blues’ most influential guitarists. She played for nearly ninety years. However, the world didn’t discover her genius until she was 43. Her two-finger picking style influenced Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Moreover, she helped define what

Memphis Minnie: The Guitar Queen Who Beat the Boys at Their Own Game In 1933, Big Bill Broonzy walked into a Chicago nightclub for a guitar contest against Memphis Minnie. The prize was a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of gin. Broonzy was Chicago’s reigning blues king, but when Minnie finished playing, the crowd

Dive into the world of Blind Lemon Jefferson, the Father of Texas Blues, and discover his profound influence on American music. Click to unravel his story!

16 Modern Blues Artists You Need to Hear Right Now The blues has never stopped evolving. While skeptics periodically declare the genre dead or dying, a wave of modern blues artists is proving otherwise. From Grammy-winning guitar prodigies to soul-drenched vocalists barely old enough to rent a car, today’s blues scene is arguably the most

Nina Simone: Biography of the High Priestess of Soul Introduction Nina Simone (1933-2003) was a classically trained pianist who became one of the most influential voices in American music. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in North Carolina, she combined classical technique with blues, jazz, gospel, and folk to create a distinctive sound that defied categorization. Her