From the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta to the electric clubs of Chicago — over a century of musical evolution.
After abolition, African-American workers carry call-and-response work songs, spirituals and African scale memory into the Mississippi Delta. The blues form begins to crystallise as a personal lament rather than a communal song.
Bandleader W.C. Handy is asleep on a platform in Tutwiler, Mississippi when a ragged guitarist plays slide with a knife and sings about "goin' where the Southern cross the Dog." Handy later calls it "the weirdest music I had ever heard" — and the first documented description of a blues song.
Mamie Smith's "Crazy Blues" on Okeh sells 75,000 copies in its first month and proves there is a vast Black record-buying public. The "race records" industry is born overnight.
Field-recording teams travel south with portable disc cutters. Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Son House and a young Robert Johnson make the first generation of Delta recordings that we still listen to today.
In two short sessions (San Antonio and Dallas) Johnson cuts 29 songs that would become the most influential body of work in the music's history. He dies the next year at 27.
Hundreds of thousands of Black Mississippians move north to Chicago for factory work and take the Delta blues with them. To be heard over a loud crowd in a South-Side bar, the guitar gets an amplifier.
Two Polish-Jewish immigrant brothers, Leonard and Phil Chess, take over Aristocrat Records and rename it Chess. Over the next two decades they record Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Etta James and dozens more.
Muddy Waters tours Britain with a Telecaster turned up loud. Folk critics are appalled, but a generation of teenagers — including the future Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and Cream — never recovers.
The Stones (named after a Muddy song), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin — British rock is essentially Chicago blues louder and longer. Many of the original Chess artists tour Europe for the first time.
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt and Buddy Guy keep the music in arenas. A new generation — Gary Clark Jr., Larkin Poe, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Joanne Shaw Taylor — proves the blues is not a museum piece.
Photo: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons · Public Domain & Unsplash
Every documented milestone in the music's history — from emancipation to today's new generation. Bilingual: English & norsk.
The 13th Amendment abolishes slavery in the United States. Former slaves in the Deep South begin developing new musical forms combining African traditions with American influences.
Det 13. grunnlovstillegget avskaffet slaveriet i USA. Tidligere slaver i Dypet av Sørstatene begynte å utvikle nye musikkformer som kombinerte afrikanske tradisjoner med amerikanske innflytelser.
Federal troops withdraw from the South, beginning the era of Jim Crow laws. The harsh conditions of sharecropping and segregation would fuel blues expression for decades.
Føderale tropper trekker seg ut av Sørstatene, og Jim Crow-lovenes æra begynner. De harde vilkårene under leilendingssystemet og segregeringen skulle gi næring til bluesuttrykket i flere tiår.
The blues form begins crystallizing in the Mississippi Delta region. Work songs, field hollers, spirituals, and African musical traditions merge into a distinctive style.
Bluesformen begynner å krystallisere seg i Mississippi Delta-regionen. Arbeidssanger, rop fra åkrene, spirituals og afrikanske musikktradisjoner smelter sammen til en særegen stil.
W.C. Handy hears a slide guitar player at a Tutwiler, Mississippi train station—one of the first documented descriptions of Delta blues style.
W.C. Handy hører en slidegitarist på en togstasjon i Tutwiler, Mississippi – en av de første dokumenterte beskrivelsene av Delta blues-stil.
African Americans begin migrating from the rural South to Northern cities seeking better opportunities. This movement would eventually bring Delta blues to Chicago, Detroit, and beyond.
Afroamerikanere begynner å migrere fra det landlige Sørstatene til byer i nord på jakt etter bedre muligheter. Denne bevegelsen skulle til slutt bringe Delta-bluesen til Chicago, Detroit og videre.
Mamie Smith records 'Crazy Blues' for Okeh Records—the first blues recording by an African American artist. It sells over 75,000 copies in its first month, proving blues has commercial potential.
Mamie Smith spiller inn 'Crazy Blues' for Okeh Records – den første bluesinnspillingen av en afroamerikansk artist. Den selger over 75 000 eksemplarer den første måneden, og beviser at blues har kommersielt potensial.
Blind Lemon Jefferson begins recording for Paramount Records, becoming the first major male blues star. His Texas blues style influences generations of guitarists.
Blind Lemon Jefferson begynner å spille inn for Paramount Records og blir den første store mannlige bluesstjernen. Hans Texas blues-stil påvirker generasjoner av gitarister.
The 'Father of Delta Blues' Charley Patton makes his first recordings for Paramount Records, including 'Pony Blues.' He would influence every Delta bluesman who followed.
«Delta-bluesens far» Charley Patton gjør sine første innspillinger for Paramount Records, inkludert 'Pony Blues.' Han skulle påvirke enhver Delta-bluesmann som kom etter.
Folklorist John Lomax records Lead Belly at Angola Prison in Louisiana for the Library of Congress, beginning decades of field recordings that would preserve blues history.
Folkloristen John Lomax spiller inn Lead Belly ved Angola-fengselet i Louisiana for Library of Congress, og innleder flere tiår med feltopptak som skulle bevare blueshistorien.
Robert Johnson records his legendary sessions in San Antonio, Texas at the Gunter Hotel. These 29 songs would become the most influential blues recordings ever made.
Robert Johnson spiller inn sine legendariske sesjoner i San Antonio, Texas på Gunter Hotel. Disse 29 sangene skulle bli de mest innflytelsesrike bluesinnspillingene noensinne.
Alan Lomax records McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters) on Stovall Plantation for the Library of Congress. Hearing the playback inspires Waters to pursue music professionally.
Alan Lomax spiller inn McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters) på Stovall-plantasjen for Library of Congress. Å høre opptaket inspirerer Waters til å satse på musikken profesjonelt.
Muddy Waters leaves Mississippi for Chicago, eventually bringing the Delta blues sound to urban audiences and electrifying the genre.
Muddy Waters forlater Mississippi for Chicago, og bringer til slutt Delta blues-lyden til urbane publikum og elektrifiserer sjangeren.
Leonard and Phil Chess establish Chess Records in Chicago (originally Aristocrat). The label would become the most important blues label in history.
Leonard og Phil Chess etablerer Chess Records i Chicago (opprinnelig Aristocrat). Plateselskapet skulle bli det viktigste bluesplateselskapet i historien.
Muddy Waters releases 'Rollin' Stone' on Chess Records—a song that would inspire both The Rolling Stones' name and Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone.'
Muddy Waters gir ut 'Rollin' Stone' på Chess Records – en sang som skulle inspirere både navnet The Rolling Stones og Bob Dylans 'Like a Rolling Stone.'
Little Walter's instrumental 'Juke' becomes #1 on the R&B charts, revolutionizing blues harmonica with its amplified, distorted sound.
Little Walters instrumentale 'Juke' blir nr. 1 på R&B-listene og revolusjonerer blues-munnspillet med sin forsterkede, forvrengte lyd.
Muddy Waters records Willie Dixon's 'Hoochie Coochie Man,' creating the template for blues-rock that would dominate the next two decades.
Muddy Waters spiller inn Willie Dixons 'Hoochie Coochie Man,' og skaper malen for blues-rock som skulle dominere de neste to tiårene.
Muddy Waters' electric performance shocks British audiences expecting acoustic folk-blues. This tour sparks the British blues boom and inspires future rock stars.
Muddy Waters' elektriske opptreden sjokkerer britiske publikummere som forventet akustisk folk-blues. Denne turneen utløser den britiske blues-boomen og inspirerer fremtidige rockestjerner.
Blues researchers locate Son House in Rochester, NY. His rediscovery leads to new recordings and performances that introduce Delta blues to folk revival audiences.
Bluesforskere finner Son House i Rochester, NY. Gjenoppdagelsen hans fører til nye innspillinger og opptredener som introduserer Delta-blues for folk revival-publikum.
The Rolling Stones form in London, named after Muddy Waters' song. They and other British bands would soon bring blues to worldwide rock audiences.
The Rolling Stones dannes i London, oppkalt etter Muddy Waters' sang. De og andre britiske band skulle snart bringe bluesen til verdensomspennende rockepublikum.
Cream (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker) forms and covers blues standards by Robert Johnson, Skip James, and Howlin' Wolf, introducing millions to the blues.
Cream (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker) dannes og covrer bluesstandarder av Robert Johnson, Skip James og Howlin' Wolf, og introduserer millioner for bluesen.
Led Zeppelin's debut album features heavy blues influence, including covers of Willie Dixon's 'You Shook Me' and 'I Can't Quit You Baby.'
Led Zeppelins debutalbum har sterk bluesinnflytelse, inkludert covere av Willie Dixons 'You Shook Me' og 'I Can't Quit You Baby.'
The Blues Foundation establishes the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis, honoring blues legends including Charley Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson.
Blues Foundation etablerer Blues Hall of Fame i Memphis, og hedrer blueslegender som Charley Patton, Son House og Robert Johnson.
Robert Johnson inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence, cementing his status as the most influential blues artist for rock music.
Robert Johnson innlemmes i Rock and Roll Hall of Fame som tidlig innflytelse, og sementerer hans status som den mest innflytelsesrike bluesartisten for rockemusikk.
Columbia releases 'The Complete Recordings' of Robert Johnson, selling over 500,000 copies and introducing a new generation to Delta blues.
Columbia gir ut 'The Complete Recordings' av Robert Johnson, selger over 500 000 eksemplarer og introduserer en ny generasjon for Delta-blues.
The U.S. Postal Service issues a Robert Johnson stamp as part of its 'Legends of American Music' series, marking mainstream cultural recognition of Delta blues.
Det amerikanske postvesenet gir ut et Robert Johnson-frimerke som del av serien 'Legends of American Music,' og markerer kulturell anerkjennelse av Delta-blues i mainstream.
John Lee Hooker wins a Grammy for 'Don't Look Back,' produced by Van Morrison. His late-career resurgence brings boogie blues to a new audience.
John Lee Hooker vinner en Grammy for 'Don't Look Back,' produsert av Van Morrison. Hans comeback i karrierens siste fase bringer boogie blues til et nytt publikum.
The U.S. Congress declares 2003 the 'Year of the Blues.' Martin Scorsese produces 'The Blues,' a seven-part PBS documentary series exploring the genre's history and global impact.
Den amerikanske kongressen erklærer 2003 som 'Bluesens år.' Martin Scorsese produserer 'The Blues,' en syv-delt PBS-dokumentarserie som utforsker sjangerens historie og globale påvirkning.
Buddy Guy receives the National Medal of Arts from the White House. His club Legends in Chicago remains a blues pilgrimage site, and he continues touring into his 80s.
Buddy Guy mottar National Medal of Arts fra Det hvite hus. Klubben hans Legends i Chicago forblir et valfartssted for blues, og han fortsetter å turnere i 80-årene.
The Mississippi Blues Trail reaches over 100 historical markers across the state, including Dockery Plantation, the Crossroads in Clarksdale, and Muddy Waters' cabin site at Stovall.
Mississippi Blues Trail når over 100 historiske markører over hele delstaten, inkludert Dockery Plantation, Crossroads i Clarksdale og Muddy Waters' hytte på Stovall.
Riley B. King (1925–2015), the 'King of the Blues,' dies in Las Vegas at age 89. His passing marks the end of an era—he performed over 15,000 concerts and won 15 Grammy Awards across a career spanning seven decades.
Riley B. King (1925–2015), 'Bluesens konge,' dør i Las Vegas, 89 år gammel. Hans bortgang markerer slutten på en æra – han ga over 15 000 konserter og vant 15 Grammy-priser gjennom en karriere som spente over syv tiår.
Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, age 20, releases his debut album 'Kingfish' on Alligator Records. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, he represents a new generation keeping Delta blues alive and wins the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2022.
Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, 20 år gammel, gir ut debutalbumet 'Kingfish' på Alligator Records. Født i Clarksdale, Mississippi, representerer han en ny generasjon som holder Delta-bluesen i live, og vinner Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album i 2022.
Blues reaches new audiences through streaming platforms. Joe Bonamassa becomes the biggest-selling independent blues artist in history, while YouTube channels and social media introduce millions of young listeners to classic and contemporary blues.
Blues når nye publikum gjennom strømmeplattformer. Joe Bonamassa blir den mestselgende uavhengige bluesartisten i historien, mens YouTube-kanaler og sosiale medier introduserer millioner av unge lyttere for klassisk og moderne blues.
A vibrant new wave of blues artists—Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Samantha Fish, Marcus King, Larkin Poe—ensures the genre's future. Blues festivals thrive worldwide, and the Mississippi Delta remains a pilgrimage destination for fans from every continent.
En livlig ny bølge av bluesartister – Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Samantha Fish, Marcus King, Larkin Poe – sikrer sjangerens fremtid. Bluesfestivaler blomstrer over hele verden, og Mississippi-deltaet forblir et pilegrimsmål for fans fra alle kontinenter.
