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The standard path for blues musicians was to start out as street musicians and at house parties and eventually make their way to blues clubs. The first blues clubs in Chicago were mostly in predominantly black neighborhoods on the South Side, with a few in the smaller black neighborhoods on the West Side. New trends in technology, chaotic ...
Wayne Baker Brooks (born April 30, 1970, Chicago). Guitarist and singer, son of the blues guitarist Lonnie Brooks (as above). [ 22 ] Big Bill Broonzy (June 26, 1903, Altheimer, Arkansas – August 14, 1958). Acoustic country blues musician who performed Chicago blues, singing and playing guitar and mandolin.
- Big Bill Broonzy
- Junior Wells
- Sonny Boy Williamson
- Otis Rush
- Little Walter
- Bo Diddley
- Willie Dixon
- Howlin’ Wolf
- Buddy Guy
- Muddy Waters
Famous for oft-covered standards like “I Can’t Be Satisfied” and “The Midnight Special,” Big Bill Broonzy (1903 – 1958) was a vital figure in the development of blues music and helped to popularize the genre across America. One of the most versatile artists of his day, Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley) played a hybrid of styles, incorporating eleme...
Best known for his signature song, “Messin’ With The Kid,” and the much-acclaimed 1965 album, Hoodoo Man Blues, Junior Wells (1934 – 1998) had a big hand in pioneering the hard-driving, amplified blues harmonica style that became synonymous with Chicago blues. Wells frequently collaborated with guitar virtuoso Buddy Guy, as well as with the likes o...
Dubbed the “Father of Modern Blues Harp,” Sonny Boy Williamson(1914 – 1948) was a true visionary, as one of the few artists to incorporate the harmonica as an expressive, lead instrument. During his brief, yet highly prolific career (cut short when he was killed in a robbery), Williamson played on hundreds of recordings and served as a mentor to ma...
Known for his sizzling, long bent notes, guitarist (and famous lefty) Otis Rush (1934 – 2018) established the “West Side” Chicago blues sound – characterized by smoother, jazz-influenced styles and a robust horn section. Inspired by fellow bluesman Muddy Waters, Rush began his recording career in the mid-50s, scoring a hit with his first single, “I...
Often compared to the likes of Jimi Hendrix or Charlie Parker, harmonica virtuoso Little Walter(1930 – 1968) remains the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame specifically for his harmonica skills. In a moment of brilliance, Walter was the first artist to attach a microphone to the harmonica, allowing him to stand out along...
The inventor of the instantly-recognizable five-accent rhythm (“The Bo Diddley Beat”), singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer Bo Diddley (1928 – 2008) was pivotal in the development of rock’n’roll. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee also pioneered a variety of guitar techniques – all of whic...
As the writer of such omnipresent standards as “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “Little Red Rooster” and “You Can’t Judge a Book By Its Cover,” Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Willie Dixon (1915 – 1992) is synonymous with Chicago blues – and rightly so. In addition to his prolific work as a songwriter and perf...
A powerful and magnetic performer, Howlin’ Wolf (1910 – 1976) and his booming voice were a looming presence in the Chicago blues scene. Born in Mississippi, Wolf was a protege of Delta blues legend Charley Patton and established his career in the South before relocating to Chicago. There, he recorded such enduring hits as “Smokestack Lightnin,” “Ki...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Kennedy Center honoree, and multiple Grammy winner Buddy Guy (b. 1936) is one of the most influential guitar players in history. Guy began his career as a session musician, accompanying the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Koko Taylor. He also formed a fruitful partnership with harmonica player Junior We...
Dubbed the “Father of Modern Chicago Blues,” Muddy Waters (1915 – 1983) brought his Delta blues to the North, where he became one of the most important figures in the post-war scene. A six-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Waters rose to success in the 50s, recording such blues standards as “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “I’m R...
In the UK in the early 1960s, beat groups, such as the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, and the Animals (dubbed the British invasion in the US), were heavily influenced by Chicago blues artists. The Stones, formed in 1963, went on to become the first British blues revival band to achieve broad-based popularity and advance the genre beyond the imitation of old models.
Origins and Influences. The origins of Chicago blues can be traced back to the Great Migration, a movement of African Americans from the southern United States to northern industrial cities like Chicago. This migration brought a diverse range of musical traditions to the Windy City, including the raw and emotional sounds of Delta blues.
Elmore James. Elmore James (January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and bandleader. He was known as “King of the Slide Guitar” and was noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice. For his contributions to music, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
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In 1959, Dixon and Memphis Slim toured England and the Middle East: they would return to Europe in 1962 with a full roster of artists to perform in the first of many annual American Folk Blues Festivals. The history of Chicago blues since the 1960s has been a contradictory one, combining periods of recession and renewal.
