Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey

Bill Wyman is a founder member of The Rolling Stones, now playing in his own band The Rhythm Kings. His 3rd album went to no. 1 in the Blues and Jazz charts in 2000 and his 4th album was released in April 2001.

Part 1 From Africa to the New World: the slaves' journey from Africa to the southern states; traditional African music; the Civil War; Papa Charlie Jackson. Part 2 The roots of black American music: early black music and life after the Civil war; cotton picking and life on the plantations; the Stovall Plantation; the origins of the Blues; first spirituals published; Leadbelly. Part 3 The birth of the Blues: jazz; ragtime and Scott Joplin; development of the phonograph; Gibson guitars manufactured; first commercial two-sided disc; Charley Patton, W.C. Handy. Part 4 Ladies sing the Blues: Ma Rainey, Mamie Smith and Bessie Smith; Bessie Smith appears on Broadway; Paramount and the early record labels; "Nobody knows you when you're down and out". Part 5 Country Blues in the 1920s: Blues from the Mississippi Delta, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas; Blind Lemon Jefferson, Sleepy John Estes; Tenessee - the development of finger-picking Blues; Son House. Part 6 Early urban Blues: jug bands; Blind Blake; migration to the cities; Leroy Carr; Blind Willie McTell; the piano and "Boogie Woogie"; Fats Waller. Part 7 1930s -the depression years: Library of Congress field recordings; country music meets the Blues; Jimmy Rodgers, the "father of country music". Part 8 The postdepression years: rural meets urban; the invention of the jukebox; Robert Johnson - life and legend; spirituals to swing - the first concerts at New York's Carnegie Hall; gospel music, Blind Willie Johnson; Ette James. Part 9 Blues, big bands and Hollywood: Billie Holiday opens at the Apollo with Count Basie; the Blues moves to the West Coast of America; T-Bone Walker records "Stormy Monday". Part 10 Postwar Blues: John Lee Hooker records "Boogie Chillen"; the harmonica in Blues; BB King's recording of "Three O'Clock Blues" tops the R&B chart; radio spreads the Blues; WDIA in Memphis switches to all-Black programming; Sonny Boy Williamson; the rise of the record company; Chess Records - James Cotton; the introduction of the LP. Part 11 1950s R&B, rock 'n' roll: Howlin Wolf records at Sun Studios, Memphis; Elvis Presley records "Mystery Train"; Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry record major hits; Sun records. Part 12 1960s - Blues in Britain and Europe: jazz in Britain helps the Blues; Big Bill Broonzy; skiffle and the early Blues boom; white men sing the Blues; the Rolling Stones; folk music and the Blues; Elmore James. Part 13 The Blues is everywhere: how rock and pop borrowed from the Blues; building a Blues collection; Buddy Guy; the Blues in advertising; Eric Clapton; the future of the Blues; who will carry the torch?.