The Story Of The Blues

The influence of the blues in popular mainstream music is immense. This history places the inspiration of singers like Muddy Waters in the context of their lives and surroundings. Every facet of the blues is covered from the beginings to the impact of the recording industry and beyond.

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This is not only Oliver's finest book on the blues, but is perhaps the finest overall survey of the subject that has yet been written. ' FINANCIAL TIMES The influence of the blues on popular mainstream music is immense. Its fascinating history reaches back to the end of the nineteenth century, its roots in the work songs of slavery, the ballads and country music of black Americans. Paul Oliver places singers like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters and Lightnin' Hopkins firmly in the context of their surroundings. He considers every facet of the Blues, its themes and subjects, the impact of recording, its-far-reaching legacy. This is not simply the history of a music but a reflection of the tumult with American society.