The Best Delta Blues Music on YouTube

Looking for the best Delta blues music on YouTube? Check out our top picks for the best channels to find this classic American genre.

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who is often cited as the “father of modern Chicago blues”. He was a major figure in the development of the postwar electric blues guitar sound. Waters’s style is characterised by his use of slide guitar and his distinctive voice.

“I Can’t Be Satisfied”

Muddy Waters was one of the most important figures in the development of the Delta blues and modern Chicago blues. He popularized the use of electric guitar and amplification, which helped to bring the sound of the blues to a wider audience. Waters’s signature style combined elements of country blues, urban blues, and jug band music, and his songs often featured humorous and double-entendre lyrics.

“I Can’t Be Satisfied” is a classic Delta blues song, first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1948. The song is a simple 12-bar blues, with Waters’s trademark slide guitar work. The lyrics express a deep yearning for satisfaction, both spiritual and physical.

The original recording of “I Can’t Be Satisfied” was highly influential, and has been covered by many artists over the years. Willie Dixon adapted the song for his own composition “Satisfied Mind”, which was recorded by Muddy Waters in 1957. Dixon’s version was more uptempo than Waters’s original, and featured different lyrics. “Satisfied Mind” became a hit for various artists including Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, and Patsy Cline.

“I Feel Like Going Home”

Muddy Waters was one of the most important figures in the history of the blues. He was born McKinley Morganfield in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on April 4, 1913. Waters grew up on Stovall’s Plantation near Clarksdale, Mississippi, and by the age of 17 he was playing guitar and singing at local parties and dances. In 1943 he moved to Chicago, where he quickly became a popular figure on the city’s vibrant blues scene.

Waters’ musical style was rooted in the Delta blues tradition, but his approach was more urban and polished than that of his rural contemporaries. He began recording for the Chess label in 1947, and over the next decade he cut a series of classic tracks that would exerted a profound influence on the development of postwar Chicago blues and rock & roll. Among his most celebrated songs are “I Can’t Be Satisfied,” “I Feel Like Going Home,” “Hoochie Coochie Man,” ” Mannish Boy,” and “Got My Mojo Working.”

Waters continued to record and perform throughout the ’60s and ’70s; in 1980 he was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1987 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Muddy Waters died in Westmont, Illinois, on April 30, 1983; he was 70 years old.

“Hoochie Coochie Man”

“Hoochie Coochie Man” is a 1954 blues song written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters. The song became one of Waters’ signature songs. It was ranked No. 91 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

The Hoochie Coochie Man was a mythical, magical figure – part doctor, part lover, all man. He had the power to heal the sick and make the blind see; he could even make the dead get up and dance. If he wanted your woman, he would take her – no questions asked. He was the personification of male power and eroticism, and women couldn’t resist him. In the hands of Muddy Waters, this story became a metaphor for his own sexual prowess.

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson was a legendary figure in the world of Delta blues. He was born in Mississippi in 1911 and began playing the guitar at a young age. Johnson’s style of playing was very influential and helped to shape the sound of Delta blues. His recordings are some of the most essential and influential in the history of blues music.

“Cross Road Blues”

“Cross Road Blues” is a song written and recorded by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. It is a key work in the transition from the Delta blues to the Chicago blues sound and is seen as one of the most important recordings in the history of the blues. The song’s lyrics tell of a musician who, at midnight, makes a deal with the Devil to achieve success.

The song was recorded twice by Johnson, in 1936 and 1937. The first version was released on his Vocalion Records album King of the Delta Blues Singers in 1961. The second version was released on his posthumous compilation album The Complete Recordings in 1990. Although there is no evidence that Johnson ever performed “Cross Road Blues” live, it has been interpreted and recorded by numerous artists including Cream, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and Nirvana.

“Sweet Home Chicago”

Robert Johnson was a famous Delta blues musician who lived in the early 1900s. He is best known for his song “Sweet Home Chicago,” which has been covered by many artists over the years.

Johnson was born in Mississippi and was exposed to the blues from a young age. He began playing the guitar when he was just 16 years old and quickly developed his own style. He spent years traveling and playing music, often performing in juke joints and on street corners.

In 1936, Johnson went to record some of his songs at a studio in San Antonio, Texas. This would be his only formal recording session, and it resulted in just 29 songs. However, these recordings have gone on to become some of the most influential in all of blues music.

“Sweet Home Chicago” is one of Johnson’s most famous songs. It is a 12-bar blues song that features Johnson’s signature guitar playing. The lyrics are about homesickness and longing for one’s hometown.

Since its release, “Sweet Home Chicago” has been covered by many artists, including Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and the Rolling Stones. It is considered one of the most important songs in the history of the blues.

“Love in Vain”

One of the most famous and influential Delta blues musicians, Robert Johnson was a master of the slide guitar and a major influence on other artists, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Eric Clapton. His best-known song, “Love in Vain,” is a heartbreaking ballad that has been covered by many other artists over the years.

B.B. King

B.B. King is one of the most popular Delta blues musicians of all time. His music has influenced countless artists, and his style is still recognizable today. If you’re looking for some of the best Delta blues music on YouTube, you can’t go wrong with B.B. King.

“The Thrill is Gone”

B.B. King is one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time. His “The Thrill is Gone” is a classic example of Delta blues music.

“Rock Me Baby”

“Rock Me Baby” is a blues standard that has been performed and recorded by a number of artists. The song was first recorded by Pinetop Perkins in 1951. B.B. King recorded it for his 1964 album Live at the Regal. His version is the best-known and is often considered the definitive version of the song.

“Sweet Little Angel”

One of the legendary blues artist, B.B. King was born on September 16th, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He is well known for his “sweet” tone and bendy style of guitar playing which helped him create some of the most iconic Blues songs of all time such as “Sweet Little Angel”. His return to the Riverside Church in Harlem, NYC on February 14th, Valentine’s Day, 1994 is considered by many to be one of the best performances by B.B. King.