The History of the Blues

Ma Rainey, Georgia (Classic blues)

Period: Apr 26, 1886 to Dec 22, 1939

Charley Patton, Mississippi (Delta, country)

Period: Apr 28, 1891 to Apr 28, 1934

Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi (Country, delta)

Period: Mar 8, 1892 to Nov 2, 1966

Blind Lemon Jefferson, Texas (Folk Blues

Period: Sep 24, 1893 to Dec 12, 1929

Bessie Smith, Tennessee/NY (Classic blues)

Period: Apr 15, 1894 to Sep 26, 1937

Blind Willie Johnson, Texas (Country, spirituals, bottleneck)

Period: Jan 22, 1897 to Sep 8, 1945

Blind Willie McTell, Georgia (Country, Piedmont)

Period: May 5, 1898 to Aug 19, 1959

Big Bill Broonzy, Chicago (Country, Urban, Folk Blues)

Period: Jun 26, 1898 to Aug 15, 1958

Howlin' Wolf, Chicago (Electric blues)

Period: Jun 10, 1910 to Jan 10, 1976

Robert Johnson, Mississippi (Delta, country)

Period: May 8, 1911 to Aug 16, 1938

Muddy Waters, Chicago (Urban Blues)

Period: Apr 4, 1915 to Apr 30, 1983

Willie Dixon, Chicago (Urban)

Period: Jul 1, 1915 to Jan 29, 1992

John Lee Hooker, Detroit (Talking blues, delta/electric, the "boogie":

Period: Aug 22, 1917 to Jun 21, 2001

Lowell Fulson, Los Angeles (West Coast Blues, Electric)

Period: Mar 31, 1921 to Mar 7, 1999

B.B. King, Mississippi (Urban blues)

Period: Sep 16, 1925 to Nov 12, 2015

John Mayall, UK (Electric, British Blues)

Period: Nov 29, 1933 to Nov 13, 2015

Buddy Guy, Chicago (Electric blues)

Period: Jul 30, 1936 to Nov 12, 2015

Johnny Winter, Texas (Electric Blues)

Period: Feb 23, 1944 to Nov 12, 2015

Robert Cray, US (Electric)

Period: Aug 1, 1953 to Nov 13, 2015

Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas (Electric)

Period: Oct 3, 1954 to Aug 27, 1990