History of the Blues in Three Hours (part one" 05 06 2018)

Measured by influence and discipleship 1.Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues, Sweet Home Chicago 2.Charly Patton, King of the Delta Blues, Hang It on the Wall Whether it’s fair or not, when Lomax traveled down Highway 61, he captured a niche of the blues which most define as the blues. While a ripe and well represented sound, Delta Blues, a comprehensive list needs to limit these artists. 3.Bessie Smith, Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do 4.Blind Lemon Jefferson, Matchbox Blues 5.Sister Rosetta Tharp, Shout, Sister Shout The epitome of writing, playing and singing long before Buddy Holly and the Beatles made it acceptable. 6.Billie Holiday, Am I Blues It was women who were heavily represented at the dawn of the recording industry. Arguably, Smith and Jefferson were the first “pop stars.” Holliday crosses the blues and jazz sounds. If Holiday ain’t signing the blues: no one ever sang the blues. 7.Muddy Waters, Mojo Working 8.Howlin’ Wolf & Willie Dixon, Killing Floor The might three birthed Chicago Blues: a sound echoed around the world by the British Blues-rock sound. 9.Etta James, Sunday King of Love 10.BB King, Live at the Regal, You Done Lost Your Good Thing Perhaps truly, “thee King of the blues”(ALbert King, Freddie King) 11.Magic Sam, All Your Love (Westside Chicago) 12.T Bone Walker, Get These Blues Off Me Walker ushers in the post-WWII sound of the “blues highway” migration that brought Blacks to the West Coast, along with Specialty Records, and gave us a different “rock sound” including Larry Williams (Beatles, Stones), Little Richard, and of course stage drive showmanship 13.John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Eric Claton), Beano album, Ramblin' On My Mind The album which legitimized the British Blues Rock scene which launched the career of so many of England’s classic rock careers through the mentorship of Mayall, Alexis Korner and Cyril Davis. 14.Ray Charles, This Little Light of Mine Charles blends blues, black gospel and country music (the foundations of American rock and roll) into a pre-rock sound by transforming church songs into pop music. The bridge between popular music and the black church is significant path in American music which, I suggest, Charles represents better than others including: Rev Son House, Rev Gary Davis, Lou Rawls, Sam Cooke, Bobby Womack, and the Holmes Brothers. 15.Professor Longhair (James Booker), Jambayala (Hank Williams country music cover) New Orleans gave us the blues piano sound. Longhair’s recordings are more consistent but Booker was a tortured genius. Not sure here. I prefer Longhair just because there are enough recordings to see development (Dr. John, Cleery, Art Neville, Bob Malone, Allen Toussiant) 16.Mike Bloomfield, Super Sessions, Really The first great, white, American electric blues player. 17.Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Blues Band Greenbaum strikes the influence British blues scene with as authentic an interpretation of Chicago electric blues and we’re going to experience in the 1960’s. He provides mentorship to Gary Moore and legions of other players in England and the United Kingdom. When the Stones and Clapton venture into pop music, Green remains a convicted blues player in the nation that served back the American sound to the American audience. His is the legacy of Mayall, Davis and Korner. 18.Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet, Straycat Blues 19.Janis Joplin, Try (Port Arthur, Texas) 20.Johnny Winter, White Line Fever (Port Arthur, Texas) 21.Allman Brothers, Live at the Fillmore East, Stormy Mondy I don’t care who you are, if you were born after 1950 you came to the blues through the Stones, Zeppelin or the Allman Brothers. Perhaps Clapton too but the influence of rock music is culturally ubiquitous. Those who suggest otherwise, I have to admit, I dismiss them. Sorry. 22.J. Geils Band, Morning After, Looking for a New Love The Geils Band’s first four albums are classic American blues-rock records. Although tainted for many blues enthusiasts by later career pop overtures, Wolf choice of underground RnB singles, plus Geils, Magic & Klein’s adherence to trad-electric blues made this popular East Coast band a national beacon. Just getting the harmonica back onto FM radio makes this band’s influence significant as they grabbed the blues back from England and gave it an American spin. 23.Led Zeppelin II, Whole Lotta Love