Some of Our Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blues music?
Blues music is a traditional American music genre that originated in the Deep South. Blues music is the cornerstone of American popular music, the so-called bedrock of rock and roll. From its deep roots to its modern interpretations, Blues music is a powerful genre. It has the ability to tell stories, evoke emotions, and bring people together.
The blues evolved from spirituals, work songs, and folk music. It is typically characterized by its soulful sound and lyrics that often tell stories of heartache and pain. The blues did not speak of the life of the enslaved but of the experiences of freed men and women during the periods of Reconstruction and Jim Crow.
The blues evolved from spirituals, work songs, and folk music. It is typically characterized by its soulful sound and lyrics that often tell stories of heartache and pain. The blues did not speak of the life of the enslaved but of the experiences of freed men and women during the periods of Reconstruction and Jim Crow.
How did the Blues come to be?
The story of how it came to be, and what the blues signifies in American culture, goes back
further than a century.
The blues originated in the North Mississippi Delta following the Civil War. The blues originally evolved out of slaves' work songs, field hollers, and plantation dances.
As it became popular with the paying public, the blues was quickly recognized and transformed from a back porch and picnic pastime to an income-producing profession.
For many years it was recorded only by memory and relayed live and in person.
Mamie Smith was the first black vocalist to record the blues. The song was "Crazy Blues," and it became a hit.
"Crazy Blues," Mamie Smith's hit record of 1920 that was reported to have sold 75,000 copies in the first month of its release, is proof of its popularity.
Sometimes sad, lonely and mournful, but in other cases fully energized and bursting with - guitar-fueled vigor
The blues originated in the North Mississippi Delta following the Civil War. The blues originally evolved out of slaves' work songs, field hollers, and plantation dances.
As it became popular with the paying public, the blues was quickly recognized and transformed from a back porch and picnic pastime to an income-producing profession.
For many years it was recorded only by memory and relayed live and in person.
Mamie Smith was the first black vocalist to record the blues. The song was "Crazy Blues," and it became a hit.
"Crazy Blues," Mamie Smith's hit record of 1920 that was reported to have sold 75,000 copies in the first month of its release, is proof of its popularity.
Sometimes sad, lonely and mournful, but in other cases fully energized and bursting with - guitar-fueled vigor
How many types of Blues music are there?
There are several recognized types of blues. The Chicago Blues by Muddy Waters or Jimmy
Reed, or the New Orleans blues by Dr. John and Guitar Slim or West Coast Blues by T-Bone
Walker and Charles Brown.
The blues has spread around the globe. There are more than two hundred Blues Societies world wide. It should be no surprise that there are blues bands in Scandinavia, Japan, and Australia.
The blues has spread around the globe. There are more than two hundred Blues Societies world wide. It should be no surprise that there are blues bands in Scandinavia, Japan, and Australia.
What is a blues society and what does it do?
The typical blues society often does no more than offer regular meetings and sometimes a
newsletter or website. Obviously the smaller the society the less that can be done.
Where was the first Blues Society in the U.S.?
Being the first and oldest Blues Society is claimed by The Santa Barbara Blues Society. They
formed in 1977, three years before The Blues Brothers movie came out. Humble in the
beginning, the SBBS soon had over 500 members, which is small by many blues society
membership standards. Still, they were the first.
How many Blues Societies are there and where are they?
The blues has spread around the globe. There are more than two hundred Blues Societies world wide. It should be no surprise that there are blues bands in Scandinavia, Japan, and Australia.
What is the Blues in School Program?
Blues in the Schools is an educational program, that utilizes a classroom format designed to explore the historical and current importance of the Blues genre in our school and bring musical education to our intended service community.
Programs are not limited to schools or classrooms; they can be held anywhere.
It is available for K-12, university-level programs, and community groups. This is not a novel approach but something that many school directs have done for many years, gaining appraise from all levels of governments.
It provides performance opportunities for youth and adults that that also provides employment for musicians.
Our goals are to:
For More Information Regarding our Blues in Schools program, see Members Only Section.
Programs are not limited to schools or classrooms; they can be held anywhere.
It is available for K-12, university-level programs, and community groups. This is not a novel approach but something that many school directs have done for many years, gaining appraise from all levels of governments.
It provides performance opportunities for youth and adults that that also provides employment for musicians.
Our goals are to:
- keep Blues music alive and vibrant
- teach children musical skills
- teach children the historical importance of Blues
- stimulate future generations to play Blues
- School presentations by professional musicians
- Performances by young people who are learning to play Blues
For More Information Regarding our Blues in Schools program, see Members Only Section.