First to Publish Blues Music in 1910
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The Birth of the Blues
The history of the blues is often debated. There is no one definitive answer. But most music historians agree that the blues were born in the late 1800s in the American South. The first published blues song was “The St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy in 1910.
The first blues recordings in 1910
The first commercially released blues recordings were made by the singer Mamie Smith and her Jazz Hounds in New York City in February, 1920. But, it was two years earlier, in October of 1910, that the first blues recordings were made. These were piano roll recordings of two songs written and performed by black vaudeville artists Perry Bradford and Don Redman.
The first of these was “Mississippi Rag”, written and recorded by Perry Bradford. Though not originally a blues song, “Mississippi Rag” became one of the most popular pieces of early jazz and ragtime music. The second recording was “Everybody’s Blues”, written and recorded by Don Redman. “Everybody’s Blues” is considered to be one of the first true blues songs ever recorded.
Though these two songs were not originally conceived as blues songs, they are important historical recordings because they are some of the earliest examples of black music being commerciallyrecorded and published.
The spread of the blues in the early 20th century
The blues had a profound impact on American popular music, both in terms of style and substance. The earliest published use of the term “blue notes” dates back to 1908, when composer and music critic Lionel Monckton wrote in the British publication The Music Student: “What gives the ‘blues’ their peculiar flavour is the use of irregular or ‘strained’ chords, and blue notes – notes below the major scale, flat third (b3), flat fifth (b5) and flat seventh (b7) – which for expressive purposes are sung or played flattened or gradually bent (microtonally) back up to their major pitch.”
In 1910, W.C. Handy became the first musician to publish blues music with his now-famous “St. Louis Blues.” The popularity of his band’s performances helped to spread the blues throughout America, Europe and beyond.
Despite its humble origins, the blues would go on to exert a massive influence on the course of American music, spawning new genres like jazz and rock & roll. In doing so, it would also help to shape the very identity of America itself.
The Evolution of the Blues
The blues evolved from the music of the African slaves who were brought to the United States. This type of music was first published in 1910 by W.C. Handy. The blues has gone through many changes since then and has influenced other genres of music, such as rock and roll.
The influence of jazz on the blues in the 1920s
In the early years of the twentieth century, the blues was not yet a distinct genre of music. It was simply the folk tradition of singing about the joys and sorrows of life, set to a simple chord progression. This began to change in the 1910s, when black musicians in the American South began to experiment with new ways of playing the blues. Among them was W.C. Handy, who is often credited with being the first person to publish a blues song, “The Memphis Blues,” in 1912.
Handy’s work had a profound influence on the development of the blues, and in particular on its relationship with jazz. In the 1920s, jazz and blues began to merge into a new genre known as “jazz-blues.” This new style was heavily influenced by both traditions, but it had its own distinct sound, characterized by improvisation, syncopated rhythms, and bold melodic declarations.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, jazz-blues became increasingly popular among black audiences in America. It was also during this time that many white Americans were first exposed to the blues through recordings by artists like Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong. Jazz-blues would go on to have a profound impact on both jazz and blues in the decades that followed.
The development of electric blues in the 1940s
In the early 1940s, electric blues began to develop, with musicians like Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, and Howlin’ Wolf incorporating electric guitars and amplifiers into their bands. This new sound helped to popularize the blues and make it more accessible to a wider audience. Electric blues would go on to influence many other genres of music, including rock ‘n’ roll.
The popularity of the blues in the 1950s and 1960s
Though it had been around for many years, the blues really came into its own in the 1950s and 1960s. This was due in part to the increasing popularity of rhythm and blues music, which was a direct precursor of the blues. Artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf brought the sound of the Delta to Chicago, where they developed a electric style that would soon take over the world. Meanwhile, in the South, performers like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker were playing a more urban style of blues that would come to be known as Memphis blues. As these different styles began to spread across the country and around the world, the blues became one of the most popular genres of music. Thanks to performers like Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, and Koko Taylor, the blues is now enjoyed by people all over the world.
The Legacy of the Blues
In 1910, W.C. Handy published his now-famous “Memphis Blues” in a national magazine, becoming the first person to published blues music. This event would go on to have a profound impact on the development of American music. The blues would go on to become one of the most important genres in American music, influencing everything from jazz to rock and roll.
The influence of the blues on popular music
The influence of the blues on popular music is incalculable. It is generally accepted that the blues began as a regional folk music in the American South at the turn of the 20th century. The first published blues song, “Billie’s Blues,” was recorded by W.C. Handy in Memphis, Tennessee in 1910.
The popularity of the blues grew rapidly in the 1920s, withrecordings by Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and other artists achieving national distribution. In the 1930s and 1940s, the growing popularity of rhythm and blues and jazz led to a cross-pollination of styles that would have a profound effect on popular music for generations to come.
The impact of the blues can be heard in virtually every style of popular music, from rock and roll to country, soul, funk and hip hop. The genre has also been a major source of inspiration for countless musicians across the globe.
The continued popularity of the blues in the 21st century
In the early 21st century, the blues again enjoyed a surge in popularity, both in America and elsewhere. This was due in part to the increased interest in American roots music, but it was also due to the fact that many young musicians were again looking to the blues as a source of inspiration. In addition, the blues had always been popular in Europe, and in the 21st century, European audiences were increasingly exposed to American blues performers through festivals and tours.
The legacy of the blues can be seen in many different genres of music that have been influenced by this unique art form. Rock and roll, soul, R&B, rap, and hip-hop all contain elements of the blues, and many modern musicians continue to experiment with this musical style. The blues is truly a genre that has stood the test of time, and its influence can be heard in music all over the world.
