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Enslaved African Americans developed field hollers and work songs, expressing their hardships and laying the foundation for blues music.
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Victor Records released "Camp Meeting Shouts," the first known recording of African American music.
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The first publication of blues sheet music.
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W.C. Handy published "The Memphis Blues," bringing blues music into mainstream popularity.
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Baby Franklin Seals published "Baby Seals' Blues," contributing to the early spread of blues music.
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Artists recorded country blues tracks capturing the raw essence of the genre.
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The Memphis Jug Band popularized a unique blues style using unconventional instruments like jugs and washboards.
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Sylvester Weaver became the first to record using the slide guitar technique, influencing future blues guitarists.
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Artists like Blind Willie McTell and Blind Boy Fuller popularized the Piedmont blues style, characterized by intricate fingerpicking.
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The Great Migration saw African Americans moving to urban centers leading to the development of urban blues styles in cities like Chicago.
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The electric guitar was introduced to blues music, amplifying its sound and paving the way for future genres like rock and roll.
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The 1960s saw a resurgence of interest in blues music, with festivals and new recordings bringing the genre to a wider audience.
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The Ann Arbor Blues Festival in Michigan became the first major festival dedicated solely to blues music, celebrating its rich heritage.
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The Blues Foundation established the Blues Hall of Fame to honor significant contributors to the genre.