Key Figures in the Development of the Blues – Part 2

Key Figures in the Development of the Blues – Part 2

There are literally dozens of blues musicians from the first half of the 20^th century who made important contributions to the development of blues as a musical genre.  The following list of key figures is far from exhaustive, but it does serve as a starting point for listeners interested in the history of the blues.

Ma Rainey

Often referred to as the “Mother of the Blues”, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey possessed a distinctive deep gravelly voice and commanding stage presence that attracted large racially mixed (although segregated) audiences to her performances. Hailing from Columbus, Georgia, she began performing with black minstrel shows around the turn of the century at roughly the age of 12, and developed into the main attraction of those shows with her consummate showmanship. She claimed to have coined the term “blues” when she was asked to describe a sad song she was singing. Rainey was also a well-regarded songwriter, with her music reflecting the Black female experience of the times. Her lyrics frequently focused on sexuality, but in an empowering way, and some of her songs even hinted at lesbianism. In 1923, she signed with Paramount Records, and over the course of her career, she recorded over 100 songs, including “Bad Luck Blues”, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “See See Rider” (with Louis Armstrong). By the mid-1930’s, as the popularity of her music began to fade, she moved back to her hometown where she was involved in running theaters in that city.

Big Bill Broonzy

Lee Conley Bradley, better known as “Big Bill Broonzy”, was a pivotal figure in the movement of blues toward a more urban sound. His exact date of birth is unknown, with conflicting accounts citing both 1893 and 1903. As a youth in Arkansas he learned to play fiddle to perform spirituals and folk songs at church gatherings. In 1920, he migrated to Chicago in search of employment, working a variety of odd jobs while maintaining his interest in music. Shortly after arriving in Chicago, he took up guitar as his primary instrument and slowly began to master it. His recording career began in the late 1920’s for Paramount Records, but his records sold poorly as his work was considered to be derivative. After moving to Bluebird Records in 1934, his notoriety began to grow.  In 1938, he was asked to perform at a concert event in Carnegie Hall as a fill-in for Robert Johnson, who had just recently died, and was met with a rousing reception.  By the 1940’s, Broonzy began to help define the Chicago blues style, recording some of his best know songs such as “Key To The Highway”, “Lonesome Road Blues” and “Wee Wee Hours”. However, by the late 1940’s his health had begun to decline, and he stopped touring as a consequence. By the early 1950’s he returned to performing, playing extensively in Europe, and in Great Britian in particular.   He was one of several artists (including Muddy Waters, Otis Spann and Sister Rosetta Tharpe) who toured Europe during this time period and he later became the inspiration for the emerging British blues scene. However, the traveling musician lifestyle had finally caught up to him, as he was diagnosed with cancer, passing away in 1958.

Big Mama Thornton

Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was a blues singer who is often seen as helping to bridge the gap from blues to rock and roll. She is best remembered for her thunderous voice and buoyant stage presence.  In 1940, at the age of 14, she was encouraged to audition for Sammy Green’s Hot Harlem Review and was hired on the spot. She travelled with the review all over the Southeast but left after a money dispute in 1948.  In 1950 she made her first recordings as part of the Harlem All Stars. Later that year she signed a record deal with Peacock Records and was placed on Johnny Otis’ California Rhythm and Blues Caravan as one of their upcoming artists.  In 1952 she recorded “Hound Dog”, and it became her biggest hit, selling over 500,000 copies. As her career declined in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, she moved to San Francisco but performed infrequently. In 1961, she wrote “Ball N’ Chain”, but the record company she was recording for refused to release it. A few years later she was performing the song at a San Francisco club, and was approached by Janis Joplin, who wanted to rework the song with her group Big Brother and the Holding Company. Thornton agreed, and it became a big hit when it was included on the group’s “Cheap Thrills” album in 1968.  Arhoolie Records later released Thornton’s version of “Ball N’ Chain” to capitalize on the success of the Joplin record. In 1969, she signed with Mercury Records and released her most well-known album “Stronger Than Dirt” and experienced renewed popularity. But her excessive drinking had started to catch up with her by the 1970’s, and her health began to decline. She performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and at other venues and clubs during the early 1980’s. She died in 1984 of complications of heart and liver disorders.

Howlin’ Wolf

Chester Arthur Burnett, better known as “Howlin’ Wolf” was one of the most influential of all the early blues musicians. Born in Mississippi in 1910, he was a protégé of Charley Patton early in his career, performing with other noted blues stalwarts of the time. A large, imposing man (6’3” and 275 lbs.), he was known for his booming sandpaper voice and high-spirited performances. He was signed by Chess Records in 1951, and recorded some of the classic blues tunes of the era including “Smokestack Lightning”, “Spoonful”, “The Red Rooster” and “I Ain’t Superstitious”. A lot of his hits were written by Willie Dixon, one of the more prolific songwriters of the blues era. In the blues revival of the 1960’s, Wolf, and in 1965 when the Rolling Stones appeared on the television show Shindig, they insisted that Wolf perform as well, and he sang “How Many More Years” with the Stones sitting at his feet. His 1971 album, “The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions”, featured many of the prominent British blues rock musicians of the time including Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Ian Stewart. In November of 1975 he performed for the last time, sharing the billing with B.B. King, Luther Allison and Albert King. Wolf suffered ill health for many years, having suffered a series of heart attacks over the last six years of his life. He also had kidney problems which required dialysis. He died in 1976 from complications resulting from a brain tumor as well as heart and kidney disease.

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