Blues music has an incredible history

Blues music is very influential and you can find elements of it today in many different genres. You will know immediately when you hear it.

The roots

Most musical genres have an interesting history but blues is like no other. Its roots are quite a mystery because of poor documentation at the time. The common belief is that it began in the American Deep South in the late 19th century, evolving from African chants, field songs, and hymns or spiritual tunes.

The first sheet music for blues was not published until 1912. Until then it was not a well-known art form. However, it was a vital part of African-American culture.

In the 1920s Vaudeville blues would make its way into the mainstream. At the time there were a number of female African American singers pioneering the genre. They would influence singers in clubs all across New York. At the same time Delta blues, the authentic sound of the Deep South, would remain quite inaccessible.

Chicago

After World War II there were big changes in America. One of the biggest was the migration of millions of African Americans from the Deep South. They chose to move to prosperous cities all over America and spread the Delta blues style with them. Chicago became a very popular destination and would develop a very specific style of blues music. It would include electric instruments rather than acoustic and modern amplifiers. This new style would enter the mainstream and artists like Muddy Waters became very popular.

R&B

The next step in the development of blues was the creation of R&B. This new genre was an evolution and included aspects of jazz, gospel and more. This combination inspired even more creativity and would lead to a brand new generation of performers. This would include huge names like Ray Charles.

Rock and Roll

The next big step in the evolution of blues music was rock and roll. Until this point the genre and R&B were performed by African American musicians. When white performers began adapting the style and mannerisms it created rock and roll. A number of high profile names played an important role in the growth of this new style. It began with Elvis and reached new heights with bands like The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Now

Today blues music and all the genres it spawned are loved all over the world and performed by artists of all races. Ryk Mead and his band are proud to be part of it, touring the world and supporting some of the most famous performers of all time. Our sets are always unique because we embrace the tradition of creativity and can suddenly change direction. This makes every single set exciting.

If you want to find out more about our band and gigs, browse this website.