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Emancipation Proclamation
Historic due to the slaves beginning to sing about their life conditions.....woes and celebrations http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/ -
Establishment of Dockery plantation
Established by Will Dockery who then cleared a lot of the timber, thus discovering rich soil for planting. This encourage sharecropping. Some of the families attracted there included those of Son House, Charlie Patton and Tommy Johnson. Located near Cleveland Mississippi, it is refered to by many as the place where Delta blues was born. http://www.dockeryfarms.org/blues/charley-patton -
WC HANDY'S " MEMPHIS BLUE"
First blues song published as sheet music. Introduction to 12 bar blues Escaping the Delta, Jeff Wald, pg.12 -
MORTON HARVEY RECORDED "MEMPHIS BLUES"
The first known recording of a blues song. Harvey was a vaudeville performer and singer. Escaping the Delta, Wald, pg. 18 -
Mamie Smith records "Crazy Blues"
One of the first blues songs recorded. First ever recording of an African American singing a blues song. http://www.npr.org/2006/11/11/6473116/mamie-smith-and-the-birth-of-the-blues-market -
INVENTION OF LATERAL MOVING ARMATURE SYSTEM
Bell Laboratories developed this system for electronic recording that revolutionized the record industry...intoduction of 78 RPM records. http://www.stokowski.org/Development_of_Electrical_Recording.htm -
Great Depression
Beginning of the Great Depression....black southern families, seeking work, began migrating to northern cities. Blues influence going to those cities. http://www.history.com/topics/great-depression -
Robert Johnson records in San Antonio
Marks the beginning of the documentation and recording history of perhaps the world's most famous and written about bluesman Escaping the Delta, Eliza Wald..pg -
Bessie Smith Dies in Car Accident
She started her professional career in 1912 and became the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. "Downhearted Blues" one of her earliest and biggest hits. She died in Clarksdale, Mississippi. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/blues-singer-bessie-smith-killed-in-mississippi-car-wreck-is-buried -
Les Paul creats the Log
Beginning of the electric guitar age. Les Paul's guitars were used by pretty much all of the bluesmen in the Chicago electric blues era and beyond. http://www.epiphone.com/History.aspx -
King Biscuit Time founded
Key in bringing music to the people who could not afford a record player or radio....one could always here music in public places where music was being played over the radio.
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http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2618 -
1947 Evelyn Aron and Leonard Chess meet.
Evelyn Aron invited Leo Chess to join her in forming Aristocrat records, starting him off on his new career in record making. Brothers Leonard and Phil bought out rights to Aristocrat and renamed it Chess Records in 1950. Began the move from black pop to blues featruring artists such as Muddy Waters. http://www.bluestogold.com/index2.html -
Muddy Waters records "I Can't Be Satisfied
a major breakthrough for Muddy Waters. Electric guitar becomes relevant with the blues.....now referred to as "Electric Blues" Dr. S. Levine, ppt. presentation -
45 RPM Records
Development of new 45 record. Cheaper more accessible, only one song per side. Higher fidelity....juke boxes using them exclusively. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record#High_fidelity -
Beginning of Doowop
Ink Spots one of the first groups to take rhythm and blues and use top/bottom vocal style of new sub style. Bill Kenny dubbed Father of Doowop Marv Goldberg, More Than Words:The Music of the Ink Spots -
Elvis records his first record at Sun Records
Elvis brings a white man's voice to black man's music, but he sounds like a black man. Sings "That's All Right "
Elvis' case illustrates that music could become a bridge between communities and cultures. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/elvis-presley-records-quotthats-all-right-mamaquot -
Hootchie Coochie Man
Willie Dixon, songwriter and arranger, wrote and played on Hootchie Coochie Man recorded by Muddy Waters. Chess Records became THE place for talented artists to work together. Dr. S. Levine, class, ppt. preseentation -
Sh-boom
Arguably the first major doowop hit by white group The Crewcuts. Marked the beginning of when white groups started to cover black music...song was oririginally recorderd by the black group the Chords. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh-Boom -
I'm A Man -- Bo Diddley
New sound and style when Chess allowed Bo Diddley to record this song, new sound more like rock and roll. Dr. S. Levine, class, ppt. presentation -
Maybelline
Chuck Berry adapted old country tune "Ida Red" to his style. Marks a crossing of the racial barrier for blues and rock and roll. Pop Chronicles radio interview with Leo Chess, 1969, -
Back In The USA
Chuck Berry records this song and talks about the United States, the food, the life style but does not talk about the struggle of blacks American in USA. The song is about the good side of his country not about the bad part. Blues and rock and Roll gradually paved the way for civil right movement. Bruce Pegg, Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry, -
Newport Folk Festival Founded
First time blues artists showcased at a music festival attended by fans of every music genre music. Ushered in other important festivals such as Monterey, Woodstock, etc. http://www.newportfolk.org/history -
The Rolling Stones form
British band formed chiefly to record blues tunes influenced by American blues artists. http://www.rollingstones.com/release/12th-july-1962/ -
JFK Assasinated
The 1960s was key decade for changes.The audiences for blues music became increasingly “white” and European.http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1313&context=etd -
Eric Clapton forms Cream
A year after Clapton left the Yardbirds in 1965, he formed the first Rock n Roll supergroup, Cream. The band was heavily influenced by American blues music and even found success with a cover of Crossroads, a Robert Johnson tune from the 1930's. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/eric-clapton-leaves-the-yardbirds -
Martin Luther King assassinated
Martin Luther King was shot dead while standing on a balcony outside his second-floor room at the Lorraine Motel http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_kings_assassination_4_april_1968/ -
Jack Dupree---Song of death of MLK
Jack Dupree with this song expresses his pain and is difficulty to understand America http://www.oocities.org/bourbonstreet/delta/2541/blcdupre.htm -
B. B. King Releases "The Thrill Is Gone"
Audiences were tiring of commercialized versions of older blues tunes and wanted more original sounding music. BB King filled this need by recording this song which became one of the most memorable recorded rhythm and blues songs of all time. The Blues. Hal Leonard Corporation. 1995. p. 220 -
The Blues Hall of Fame Founded
Hall of famed formed marking a recognition of the blues as a major American music style and culture. Honors great blues artists of the past and present. http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0151040.html -
Stevie Ray Vaughan Debuts Texas Flood
Blues had fallen out of style and lost popularity, but SRV's Texas flood put blues back on the charts and on the map.
He died tragically in an helicopter accident in 1990. http://www.allmusic.com/album/texas-flood-mw0000090316 -
BB King and Buddy Guy release "One Kind Favor" and "Skin Deep"
Still at it in their twilight. These two blues greats record new records. Living Proof Credits". All Music Guide. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010
