Chicago Blues Artists
1. W.C. Handy (1873-1958) - Blues Musician
Considered the "Father of the Blues," W.C. Handy first heard the Blues being played by a lone Bluesman at the railroad depot in Tutwiler, Mississippi, in 1903. Handy obviously did not create the Blues, but he is the first person to publish a composition with the term "Blues" in the title and utilizing "blue notes" (flatted thirds and sevenths). This song - "Memphis Blues," published in 1912, along with his famous "St. Louis Blues" two years later, first brought the genre to the mass public. This is the man after whom the Handy Awards (the Blues "Grammys") are named.
"St. Louis Blues"
2. Mamie Smith (1883-1946) - Blues Musician
This is the woman that started it all, as far as Blues on record. Her "Crazy Blues" is considered the first Blues recording ever. The record sold an incredible million copies in the first six months! This success opened the floodgates, as record labels and talent scouts began to scour the country for more Blues singers to record.
"Crazy Blues"
3. Gus Cannon (1885-1979) - Blues Musician
Gus Cannon bridged the gap between early Blues and the Folk and minstrel styles that preceded it. He was the man, along with his band Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers, featuring legendary harpist Noah Lewis, that helped start and define the early Jug band style, prevalent in Memphis in the 20s and 30s.
Gus Cannon & His Jug Stompers Last Chance Blues
4. Ma Rainey (1886-1939) - Blues Musician
Considered the "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey was instrumental in bringing Blues music into the vaudeville tradition. She was a mentor to many of the classic women Blues singers that followed. She had been performing the Blues for twenty years before her first recording in 1923. She would go on to record with such Blues legends as Blind Blake and Tampa Red, along with Jazz greats Kid Ory and Louis Armstrong.
"Ma" Rainey, "Prove it on me Blues"
5. Leadbelly (1888-1949) - Blues Musician
Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly, was the first Blues artist to achieve fame with white audiences. Many of his compositions from his extensive songbook have become classics of Folk, Blues, and Popular music. After Leadbelly's release from prison in 1934, Alan Lomax recorded a multitude of his performances for the Library of Congress. One of the first Bluesmen to travel to Europe, his songs "Goodnight Irene," Midnight Special," and "Rock Island Line," among others, were a profound influence on the Skiffle craze in England and the subsequent Blues scene there.
„ Goodnight Irene"
6. Big Bill Broonzy (1893-1958) - Blues Musician
Big Bill Broonzy, through the years, was a most versatile performer, being equally adept at solo acoustic Folk-style, Ragtime, and early urban small combo Chicago Blues. He was one of the first artists to spread the Blues overseas, in addition to being a major force and mentor to many fellow Blues Musicians stateside. Broonzy was an exceptional guitarist, fine singer, and exceptional songwriter.
Big Bill Broonzy-Baby Please Don't Go
7. Mississippi John Hurt (1893-1966) - Blues Musician
This gentle man was an anomaly of sorts in that he was from the Delta region, but his guitar playing had much more in common with the more sophisticated finger-picking of Piedmont style Blues. He recorded a few sides in 1928, but was out of the music business until his rediscovery in 1963. He became one of the most beloved of Bluesmen in the '60s Folk-Blues resurgence, influencing a horde of aspiring guitarists in the college and coffeehouse circles.
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT Lonesome Valley 1965
8. Bessie Smith (1894-1937) - Blues Musician
The woman who best defines the term of "classic" Blues singer. She earned the title of "Empress of the Blues" with her sassy, bold songs that earned the respect of both Blues and Jazz artists. The finest musicians performed behind her, helping to create an exceptional body of work before her tragic death. Her swagger, style and strong, passionate voice epitomized what the early vaudeville style Blues was all about. Most women Blues singers point to Bessie Smith as the one who set the standard.
Bessie Smith - After You've Gone (1927)