NAME:_____________________________PERIOD:_____
The Blues
BRAINSTORM – What is the Blues? What are characteristics of Blues music?
THE BLUES
Blues music developed in the early _____________________.
Blues singers sang about things that made them ___________ or blue.
It is sometimes hard to understand the words – Blues music is more about
____________________________________________ than it is about being clear.
Depending on when it is from, Blues songs include what instruments?
WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
During the _____________, slaves were brought from Africa to work on Southern Plantations
and they brought their music with them.
They sang a rhythmic _______________________________________. One person would sing a line
and others would _______________ it.
Music was used for 2 things:
1.______________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________
When the _____________________________ ended, they left the plantations and took their
music with them.
BIRTH OF THE BLUES
The blues were born in the _______________________________________________________
following the Civil War.
For many years, Blues music was preserved by _______________________________ and nothing
was written down. People learned songs by _________________________________ to live
performances.
KEY EVENTS THAT HELPED IT GROW
Blues music was first recorded by ________________________________ in 1895 with pianist
George W. Johnson’s ___________________________________________________.
______________________________, known as the father of blues, first transcribed Blues music in
Memphis. Now people could ______________________________________________________.
Mamie Smith’s 1920 recording of “Crazy Blues” became the first
____________________________________________________.
BESSIE BROWN
Bessie Brown was a famous African-American ______________ and ______________ singer.
She was born in 1890 in _______________ so she never experienced slavery. However, her
________________________ did.
One of her most famous songs was “Songs from a Cotton Field.” What was this song about?
ROBERT JOHNSON
Robert Johnson was born in 1911 and grew up in the _________________________________ area.
Sometimes, he is referred to as the _________________________________________________.
He was so good at the guitar, there is a legend that he made a deal with the ______________
in exchange for his abilities.
W.C. HANDY
The blues form was first popularized by black composer, W.C. Handy – He is called
______________________________________________________.
He was born in _______________________________________ in 1873. He travelled around
______________________________ in 1902 and listened to various black popular music styles.
In 1903, he heard a many playing guitar. How did he describe the music?
Handy transformed Blues music. Now, ________________________________ played – very similar
to jazz bands.
In 1909, he moved to Tennessee, where he started playing blues music in _______________.
In 1912, he published _____________________________. It was the first tune to use what is called
__________________________________ form. It also had an expanded instrumentation which
included _____________________, ____________________, and _____________________ (like a jazz
band)
12-BAR BLUES
Each verse has ______________________________ (3 sets of 4 measures)
It uses only _______ chords and they have a specific ___________________ to follow.
The three chords are the ________ chord, the _______ chord, and the ________ chord.
The pattern is:
WHAT IS SLIDE GUITAR?
Slide guitar is a method for playing guitar. The word slide refers to how the pitch is
__________________________ on the guitar.
They use a tube on their finger to allow them to slide _________________________ from 1 pitch
to another.
COUNTRY BLUES
The earliest blues recorded in the _________ and ____________ was country blues.
This music was simply one ________________________________ accompanied by an
____________________ steel-string guitar.
Artists include _______________________________, Son House, ______________________________,
Blind Blake, Huddie Leadbetter, Mississippi John Hurt, and LIghtnin’ Hopkins.
CLASSIC BLUES
The sophisticated classic blues style of the 1920’s and 1930’s was from ___________________,
____________________, _______________________, and _______________________.
It featured a ___________________ soloist with a small ___________________________ jazz band or
piano.
It was popular among newly around blacks in the _______________________.
Some singers included ________________________, Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters,
________________________, and __________________________.
URBAN BLUES
Urban Blues is a 1930’s to 1950’s style also known as _____________________________.
It features a ________________________ and a small band with instruments such as electric
____________, __________________, _____________________, string bass, drum set, and sometimes
_____________________ and _________________.
Urban Blues laid the groundwork for 1950’s ___________________________________.
POPULARITY OF BLUES MUSIC
____________________ stopped singing in their _______________ and _______________ and
began to perform in theaters, clubs, and dance halls.
The popularity of Blues marked a new era for black music. It combined the _______________
of the past with a new type of song.
The result was the creation of a style of music that influenced various genres of music
including ______________, _________________, _______________________, ________________, and
__________________.