Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Legendary Artists of the Early 20th Century

Contents

• Table of Contents
• Introduction     
• PART ONE: THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA BLUESMEN     
• Charley Patton (1891–1934): Pony Blues     
• Eddie “Son” House (1902–1988): Preachin’ the Blues     
• Skip James (1903–1969): I’m so Glad     
• Big Joe Williams (1903–1982): Poor Joe's Blues     
• Robert Johnson (1911–1938): At the Crossroads     
• Robert Jr. Lockwood (1915– ): The Master’s Apprentice     
• Johnny Shines (1915–1992): A Traveling Companion     
• John Lee Hooker (1917– ): Boogie Child     
• Albert King (1923–1992): Born Under a Blues Sign     
• B. B. King (1925– ): The Little Blues Boy     
• PART TWO: THE CHICAGO BLUES SCHOOL     
• Big Bill Broonzy (1893–1958): Key to the Highway     
• Tampa Red (1904–1981): The Guitar Wizard     
• John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson (1914–1948): The Bluebird Blues     
• Muddy Waters (1915V1983): Catfish Blues     
• Willie Dixon (1915–1992): The Background Man     
• Howlin' Wolf (1910–1976): Growlin’ the Blues     
• Elmore James (1918–1963): The Broomduster     
• Sonny Boy Williamson II (1910–1965): One Way Out Blues     
• Jimmy Reed (1925–1976): The Sweet Blues     
• Little Walter (1930–1968): The Mississippi Saxophone     
• Otis Spann (1930–1970): A Blues Story     
• Otis Rush (1934– ): Double Trouble Blues     
• Buddy Guy (1936– ): The First Time I Met the Blues     
• Magic Sam (1937–1969): West Side Blues     
• PART THREE: THE TEXAS BLUES TRADITION     
• Blind Lemon Jefferson (1897–1929): The Blues Comet     
• Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter (1889–1949): 'Lectric Chair Blues     
• Aaron T-Bone Walker (1910–1975): Stormy Monday Blues     
• Sam “Lightnin” Hopkins (1912–1985): Lightnin’ Strikes     
• Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (1924– ): Gatemouth’s Blues     
• Albert Collins (1932–1993): The Iceman Cometh     
• Freddie King (1935–1976): A Link in the Chain     
• Johnny Copeland (1937–1997): The Fire Maker     
• PART FOUR: WOMEN OF THE BLUES     
• Ma Rainey (1886–1939): Mother of the Blues     
• Bessie Smith (1894–1939): Empress of the Blues     
• Ida Cox (1896–1967): Raisin’ Cain     
• Sippie Wallace (1898–1986): Special Delivery Blues     
• Victoria Spivey (1906–1976): Moanin’ the Blues     
• Willie Mae Thornton (1926–1984): Hound Dog Blues     
• Koko Taylor (1935– ): I Got What It Takes     
• Etta James (1938– ): The Messenger’s Voice     
• PART FIVE: BLUES OUTSIDE THE DELTA     
• Lonnie Johnson (1894–1970): Mr. Johnson’s Blues     
• Blind Willie McTell (1901–1959): Dean of Atlanta Blues     
• Pete Johnson (1904–1967): A Boogie-Woogie King     
• Roosevelt Sykes (1906–1984): The Honeydripper Blues     
• Blind Boy Fuller (1907–1941): Rattlesnakin’ Daddy Blues     
• Big Joe Turner (1911–1985): Shoutin’ the Blues     
• Sonny Terry (1911–1986) and Brownie McGhee (1915–1996): East Coast Blues Duo     
• Professor Longhair (1918–1980): New Orleans House Party     
• John Mayall (1934– ): The Blues Professor     
• Appendix: Recordings by Three or More Blues Singers     
• Selected Bibliography     
• Index