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4000 BCE
Traditional African Music
Traditional African music came before African blues, influencing and pushing the genre to new heights. Traditional African music is dated back to 4000 BCE, found in rock carvings, paintings, and various instruments that were created. Traditional African music was used in many African tribes, expressing themselves through song while playing instruments like the kora, balafon, and mbira. -
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Music Through Slavery
When slavery was apparent in our society, African American "work songs" were developed between 1619-1860. Hundreds of different songs were created as a way to relieve boredom while completing long and difficult tasks, while others were a form of connecting with their peers about freedom and hope for a brighter future. These work songs are the backbone of blues music and are deeply rooted into many blues songs that are being released to this day. -
African Blues Music & Artistic Expression
African blues music was invented back in the 1860s, deeply rooted in Black history, fusing traditional African music and African-American blues together. African blues music has a original and unique sound, consisting of rhythmic musical patterns and melodies and percussion beats. African blues music is extremely interconnected with artistic expression, as it is a genre of music that represents storytelling, identity, and being able to express emotions through song. -
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American Civil War
African blues music was established throughout the entirety of the American Civil War from the oppressed Black communities in the United States. Blues music helped African American communities cope with the hardship and injustice they faced during the Civil War, empowering and allowing them to have an outlet to express themselves through song. -
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"The Great Migration"
The Great Migration was the event that westernized African Blues, showcasing it to the United States of America. The Great Migration was the movement of African American people from the South of the States, bringing them to the North and Midwest. During this move to the North (New York, Illinois, Detroit etc.) many African blues artists emerged in these cities through the migration, bringing the southern roots of blues music to the North. -
Mamie Smith
Mamie Smith is an African American singer born in 1883. She made history being the first African American singer to ever release a blues single titled "Crazy Blues" in 1920. Her single became a massive hit, mostly throughout the United States and Europe. Her blues song completely changed and shifted the entire music industry, and was the gateway for the genre to become popularized. -
Robert Jackson
Robert Jackson, known as the "father of rock n' roll and blues" is an African American musician who had a short music career, but a long lasting impact on the blues music industry. His seven month career is hard to go unnoticed, releasing many singles in the blues genre in 1937. His songs "Ramblin' on My Mind", "Hellhound on My Trail", "Love in Vain", and "Cross Road Blues" embodies the blues music genre. The lyrics, melodies, and emotions each song convicts inspires blues music to this day. -
Global Recognition of Blues Music
It was the 1980s when African blues music significantly started to break records and seek global recognition from all over the globe. Blues music started to become popular amongst all communities, stated as the "new type of rock n' roll". Many famous rock artists like The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix began to add elements of African blues genre into their music. African artists were gaining the recognition they deserved, and their unique and emotional sound became popular all over the world. -
Blues in Present Day
African blues music is a genre that continues to grow, evolve, and change for many years to come. Elements of traditional blues music can still be seen in thousands of songs releasing in the present, continuing to evoke emotion and feeling with beautiful lyrics and melodies. There are now multiple music festivals that heavily focus on blues and African blues music including the "Festival in the Desert" in Mali, and "WOMAD", a global festival to showcase African blues artists in the present day.