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Slaves Are Brought to America
Slaves from Africa land in Virginia. -
Period: to
Timeline of Blues from Start to End
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End of Slave Importations
The importation of slaves from other countries is stopped by Congress. -
The Civil War Begins
The first shots at Ft. Sumter in Charleston, SC spark the Civil War -
The Emancipation Proclamation is Issued
President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation which frees the slaves. -
End of Civil War - Reconstruction Begins
The Confederates surrender to the Union and the North and South are once again united. The South begins reconstruction of buildings and lives. -
Slave Songs are Published
The earliest collection of songs from the slaves are published into books. -
Maple Leaf Rag is Published
Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag", soon to be one of his most famous works, is published and will impact the sound of blues. -
First African American Music is Recorded
The first African American music is recorded by Victor Records called "Camp Meeting Shouts". -
The Blues are Born
W.C. Handy is at a train station in Missouri. He sees a man playing on a guitar with a knife. -
First Blues Song Recorded
W.C. Handy records his song "Memphis Blues" and it's published into sheet music. -
World War I
The United States enters the war. -
The First Blues Hit
Mammie Smith has her song "Crazy Blues" recorded by Okeh Records and makes her record debut. -
Folk Blues
In Atlanta, Georgia, Ralph Peer makes the record debut of folk blues and this later becomes country music. -
The Classic Blues
Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey perform the blues for audiences and these become classic blues. -
New Recording Equipment
New recording equipment is introduced and is used. -
Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market crashes leading to the Great Depression and cripples the record industry. -
The Electric Guitar
The electric guitar is first recorded and played by Eddie Durham which will be used to transform the sound of blues. -
The United States Enters WWII
After the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the US enters the war against the Axis Powers. -
Muddy Waters and the Chicago Blues
Muddy Waters makes his first Chicago recordings, beginning his tenure as the dominant figure in the Chicago blues and a key link between the Mississippi Delta and the urban styles. -
Rhythm and Blues
Jerry Wexler, an editor at Billboard magazine, substitutes the term "rhythm and blues" for the older "race" records -
B.B. King and the Blues
B.B. King gets a major hit with his version of "Three O'Clock Blues" -
Elvis Presley
"That's All Right" is covered by Elvis Presley. -
The Country Blues
Samuel Charters publishes The Country Blues, fueling the blues element of the folk music revival. -
Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer was the civil rights campaign to register black voters, which draws young whites to the Southern States. -
The White Fan Following
The crowd for B.B. King and Muddy Waters in New York City is mostly a white audience. -
The Re-Release of Robert Johnson
Columbia Records releases Robert Johnson's recordings on CD and it goes gold by selling 400,000 albums in 6 months. -
Year of the Blues
Because of the 100th year anniversary of W.C. Handy's encounter with the stranger at the train station, Congress declares 2003 The Year of the Blues.
