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It is believed that the blues were originated and discovered around the 1860s after the American Civil War . Believed that enslaved African Americans and their descendants created the genre blues while working on work songs and field hollers. -
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Field Holler known as known as Levee Camp Holler music in the 19th century. They laid foundations for the blues and spirituals .
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Blue Notes pre-date their use in blues. English composer Samuel Coleridge -Taylors ¨ A Negro Love song ¨from his The African Suite for Piano , contained blue third and seventh notes -
Scott joplin king of ragtime published the Maple Leaf Rag. Ragtime then became an chief influence on the style of blues. -
Blues later adopted elements from the "Ethiopian of minstrel shows and Negro spirituals, including instrumental and harmonic accompaniment. The style also was closely related to ragtime, which developed at about the same time, though the blues better preserved "the original melodic patterns of African music"
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In 1912, the sheet music industry published another blues composition—"Dallas Blues" by Hart A. Wand of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. other blues-like compositions, precipitating the Tin Pan Alley adoption of blues elements. Also in 1912 (on November 9), another song, "The Blues", was copyrighted by LeRoy "Lasses".
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Handy was a formally trained musician, composer and arranger who helped to popularize the blues by transcribing and orchestrating blues in an almost symphonic style, with bands and singers. He became a popular and prolific composer, and billed himself as the "Father of the Blues". One of Handys most famous work was the St. Louis Blues -
The U.S entered the WWI and economic mobilization of American troops and African American exposes troops to blues music , expanding and causing the expansion of blues. -
Electrical recording technology is introduced and blues music became more available for wider audience .And the dominant blues figure Blind Lemon Jefferson recorded his first song. -
In 1929 there a new type of blues during the Great Depression. The new type of blues was Chicago blues which brought many sales and more people to listen . -
The electric guitar was heard when Eddie Durham recorded a song . The electric guitar helps transform the sound of blues .As the years went on in the 1950s and 1960ś the electric guitar became the most important instrument in music. -
After the soldiers went home after the war, there was rapid increase in the blues music and John Lee Hooker and T- Bone walker gained more popularity and influence . -
Albert King and Freddie King became and were huge influential blues guitarists. Knowing blues was usually sung , they innovated electrifying blues and influenced many . -
English Blues Rock artist used African American influences to create new blues music . For example Keith Richards who became really popular because he contributed his own version of blues mixed with blues rock . -
In 2003 the Year of the blues was declared by the Congress. In recognition of the blues impact on not only music but also history around the world . and celebration of the 100th anniversary of W.C Handys encounter with a bluesman.