Got Them Blues: A History
As black slaves toiled in the fields, they often sang to communicate with each other and pass the time. These work songs, spirituals, and field holler...
Blues Journey
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About
The story of the blues travels from the coasts of Africa, through the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, across the hills of Appalachia, to the streets of Chicago and beyond. The roots of blues can be found in slave songs, spirituals, and field hollers of the American South; its sound can be heard in early rock-and-roll, and in today's alternative and hip hop landscapes. Journey with us to learn about the influences and impact the blues has had on musical culture, and how it has been brought to life on stage at the Kennedy Center.
A Blue Melody, a Shufflin' Beat
Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on the use of blue notes—a note that is sung or played at a lower pitch than the rest of the son...
Spreading the Joy
The blues sound was captured by Alan Lomax, who was among the first to record folk songs in the 1930s. Because of Lomax's recordings, people across th...
A Lasting Legacy
Blues musicians who moved north tailored their music to reflect their new urban surroundings. Acoustic guitars gave way to electric; drums and standup...
Got Them Blues: A History
As black slaves toiled in the fields, they often sang to communicate with each other and pass the time. These work songs, spirituals, and field holler...
Spreading the Joy
The blues sound was captured by Alan Lomax, who was among the first to record folk songs in the 1930s. Because of Lomax's recordings, people across th...
A Lasting Legacy
Blues musicians who moved north tailored their music to reflect their new urban surroundings. Acoustic guitars gave way to electric; drums and standup...