History of Blues

By Rodnod

  • Saxophone is invented

    Saxophone is invented
    The saxophone is invented by a Belgian instrument maker named Adolphe Sax. It would later go on to become a very prominent instrument in blues music.

  • First Blues Music is published

    First Blues Music is published
    Antonio Maggio publishes a song called "I Got the Blues", the first known piece of blues sheet music .

  • Tin Pan Alley adopts blues elements

    Tin Pan Alley adopts blues elements
    Tin Pan Alley, a collection of music publishers in New York City, adopted blues elements for many of the songs they published.

  • Blind Lemon Jefferson's first recording

    The first recording is made of Blind Lemon Jefferson, who would go on to become the first folks blues star

  • The Great Depression starts

    The Great Depression begins as the stock market crashes, causing music sales to plummet and crippling the recording industry.

  • Jump Blues is created

    Jump Blues is created
    Jump Blues, an up-tempo style of blues with saxophones, is created by Lionel Hampton in the song "Flying Home"

  • "Rhythm and Blues" is coined

    "Rhythm and Blues" is coined
    "Rhythm and Blues", a genre that's a variation of Blues combing it with another genre, is coined by Jerry Wexler of Billboard magazine

  • John Mayall founds the Powerhouse Four

    John Mayall founds the Powerhouse Four
    Blues Rock Player John Mayall founds his first band.

  • Blues Rock is created

    Blues Rock is created
    Lonnie Mack creates a fast-paced style of blues played with an electric guitar that eventually comes to be known as blues rock

  • Book on blues is published.

    A book on the social history of blues is published by Amiri Baraka.

  • Blues magazine published

    "Living Blues", a magazine focused on the genre, is first published.

  • Blues Hall of Fame opened.

    Blues Hall of Fame opened.
    A museum cataloguing Blues' greatest musicians was opened in Memphis/

  • Chicago Blues Festival begins

    Chicago Blues Festival begins
    The first annual Chicago Blues Festival is held

  • Changing times create complications for blues.

    starting around the 80s and 90s, the rise of digital recording and mixing provided challenges for blues music, which are usually created spontaneously and improvised.

  • Blues Rock resurgence

    Blues Rock resurgence
    Blues Rock had a resurgence in the early 90s and 2000s, with artists such as Gary Moore, The White Stripes, and Mad Season