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Robert Johnson – The Crossroads Myth
Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, in 1911 and remains one of the most enigmatic figures in blues history. The legend surrounding his supernatural abilities didn’t emerge from thin air, though. Johnson yearned to play guitar like his idol, Son House, but possessed little feel for the instrument. In fact, Brown and Parker ridiculed his picking skills, and other bluesmen refused to play with him.
What happened next created one of music’s most enduring myths. Johnson left the blues circuit for months but reemerged with an unmatched proficiency on the guitar. His drastic improvement in such a brief period created suspicion that Johnson had gained his talent as a result of a deal with the Devil. The story persisted because of the 29 songs Johnson recorded before his untimely death at only 27 years old, there were “Cross Road Blues,” “Hellhound on My Trail,” “Me and the Devil Blues” and “Up Jumped the Devil.”
Muddy Waters – From Cotton Fields to Chess Records
Muddy Waters grew up on Stovall Plantation near Clarksdale, Mississippi, and by age 17 was playing the guitar and the harmonica, copying local blues artists Son House and Robert Johnson. His life took a dramatic turn when in 1941, Alan Lomax and Professor John W. Work III of Fisk University recorded him in Mississippi for the Library of Congress.
Waters later described the moment that changed everything: “He brought his stuff down and recorded me right in my house,” Muddy told Rolling Stone magazine, “and when he played back the first song I sounded just like anybody’s records. Man, you don’t know how I felt that Saturday afternoon when I heard that voice and it was my own voice.” Later on he sent me two copies of the pressing and a check for twenty bucks, and I carried that record up to the corner and put it on the jukebox.
In 1943, he moved to Chicago to become a full-time professional musician. In 1946, he recorded his first records for Columbia Records and then for Aristocrat Records, a newly formed label run by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess. Soon after, Aristocrat changed its name to Chess Records.
Bessie Smith – Orphan to Empress
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, around 1894, Bessie Smith’s early life was marked by tragedy and poverty. After losing both parents while still a child, she and her siblings were left to fend for themselves in the rough streets of Tennessee. Her survival instincts kicked in early, and she began singing on street corners for spare change, developing the powerful voice that would later earn her the title “Empress of the Blues.”
What made Smith revolutionary wasn’t just her vocal power, but her business acumen. By the 1920s, she had become the highest-paid Black performer of her era, commanding fees that rivaled white entertainers. Her recordings for Columbia Records sold in the hundreds of thousands, making her one of the first African American recording stars to achieve massive commercial success.
Howlin’ Wolf – Shaped by a Cruel Stepfather
Born Chester Arthur Burnett in 1910 in White Station, Mississippi, his childhood was dominated by a harsh stepfather who viewed blues music as sinful. Burnett supposedly got his name from squeezing his grandmother’s chicks too hard, and killing them. Burnett’s grandfather scolded him for this, warning him that the wolves would come and get him if he continued, leading to his family dubbing him as “Burnett “The Wolf.”
Additionally, he was active as a performer during the 30s and 40s after he was taught how to play guitar and harmonica by some of the best bluesmen at the time (Charley Patton taught him the guitar, and Sonny Boy Williamson II the harmonica). Despite his religious upbringing’s condemnation of blues music, Wolf’s raw talent couldn’t be suppressed. Wolf caught his break when he recorded for Sam Phillips at Memphis Recording Service, which would later become the famous Sun Studio.
Lead Belly – Prison Blues
Huddie William Ledbetter, known to the world as Lead Belly, discovered his musical calling in the most unlikely place – behind bars. Born in Louisiana in 1888, he had a reputation for violence that landed him in prison multiple times. It was during his incarceration at Angola State Penitentiary that his extraordinary musical talent was recognized.
The legend goes that Lead Belly literally sang his way to freedom. When Louisiana Governor O.K. Allen visited the prison, Lead Belly performed a song pleading for his release. The governor was so moved that he commuted Lead Belly’s sentence. This incident became the foundation of his reputation as a man whose music could move mountains – or at least prison walls.
Blind Lemon Jefferson – The Original Guitar Evangelist
Born blind in rural Texas around 1893, Lemon Henry Jefferson began his musical journey singing spirituals and religious songs. His blindness, rather than being a hindrance, became his musical advantage. Without sight to distract him, Jefferson developed an extraordinary ear for music and an innovative guitar technique that influenced generations of musicians.
Jefferson’s transition from sacred to secular music marked a pivotal moment in blues history. He became one of the first solo blues artists to achieve national recognition through recordings, paving the way for countless musicians who followed. His complex guitar work and distinctive vocal style established the template for Texas blues that continues to this day.
Son House – Preacher Turned Bluesman
After a short stint in prison, House caught the attention of Mississippi Delta blues pioneer, Charley Patton. With Patton behind him, House became a local sensation in Coahoma County, despite failing to achieve national success toward the start of the Great Depression, when his first recordings were released.
House’s internal struggle between his religious calling and his musical passion created some of the most emotionally charged blues ever recorded. He would preach about the evils of blues music during Sunday services, then play those same “devil’s songs” in juke joints on Saturday nights. This contradiction tormented him throughout his career, adding a layer of spiritual anguish to his already powerful performances.
After a twenty-year hiatus from music, House was rediscovered in 1964 by young record collectors, who encouraged him to relearn his repertoire and reestablish his career, when he became a part of the American folk revival as a folk-blues singer.
Skip James – Haunted Sound from Bentonia
Nehemiah Curtis “Skip” James emerged from the small town of Bentonia, Mississippi, with a guitar style so distinctive it spawned its own subgenre. Born in 1902, James developed a haunting approach to blues that utilized minor keys and open tunings, creating an otherworldly sound that seemed to echo from some distant, troubled realm.
James learned his unique style from a local musician named Henry Stuckey, who taught him the “Bentonia School” of blues. This approach emphasized minor keys and created a melancholic, almost ghostly atmosphere that set James apart from his contemporaries. His 1931 recordings for Paramount Records, including “Devil Got My Woman,” showcase this eerie, hypnotic style.
Big Mama Thornton – Sang Before Elvis
Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1926, and began her career singing in gospel groups before transitioning to rhythm and blues. Her powerful voice and commanding stage presence made her a natural performer, but it was her 1952 recording of “Hound Dog” that should have made her a household name.
Thornton’s version of “Hound Dog,” written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, was a massive R&B hit, reaching number one on the charts. However, when Elvis Presley recorded his version in 1956, it overshadowed Thornton’s original, and he received most of the credit and financial rewards. This pattern would repeat throughout her career, with many of her innovations being adopted by male performers who received greater recognition.
T-Bone Walker – The Electric Pioneer
Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker was born in Linden, Texas, in 1910, and his early musical education came from none other than Blind Lemon Jefferson. As a teenager, Walker would guide Jefferson through the streets of Dallas, learning guitar techniques that would later revolutionize blues music. This mentorship connected Walker directly to the earliest traditions of Texas blues.
Walker’s revolutionary contribution to blues came in the 1940s when he began playing electric guitar, becoming one of the first musicians to fully exploit the instrument’s potential. His smooth, jazz-influenced style and showmanship – including playing the guitar behind his head and doing splits on stage – established the template for electric blues that would influence everyone from B.B. King to Jimi Hendrix.
Mississippi John Hurt – Farmer and Forgotten Star
John Smith Hurt was born in Teoc, Mississippi, in 1893, and spent most of his life as a farmer and sharecropper. His gentle fingerpicking style and soft vocals were a stark contrast to the intense, emotional delivery of many Delta blues artists. Hurt’s approach was more influenced by country music and ragtime than traditional blues, creating a unique hybrid that was both accessible and sophisticated.
In 1928, Hurt recorded 13 songs for Okeh Records, but when the sessions didn’t lead to commercial success, he returned to farming in Avalon, Mississippi. For over 30 years, he remained virtually unknown outside his local community, working the fields and playing music only for friends and neighbors. His rediscovery in 1963 by blues enthusiasts led to a second career that lasted until his death in 1966.
Elmore James – From Radio Repairman to Slide King
Elmore Brooks, who performed as Elmore James, was born in Richland, Mississippi, in 1918. Before becoming a blues legend, James worked as a radio repairman, a skill that proved invaluable in his musical career. His technical knowledge allowed him to modify and amplify his guitars in ways that other musicians couldn’t, creating the distinctive, overdriven sound that became his trademark.
James’s signature sound came from his use of electric slide guitar, which he played with a raw intensity that influenced countless rock guitarists. His 1951 recording of “Dust My Broom” became a template for electric blues, with its driving rhythm and piercing slide work. The song’s success launched his career and established him as the king of electric slide guitar.
Ma Rainey – Vaudeville Blues Matriarch
Gertrude “Ma” Rainey was born in Columbus, Georgia, in 1886, and began her career in traveling minstrel shows and vaudeville circuits. Known as the “Mother of the Blues,” Rainey was one of the first professional blues performers and helped establish many of the genre’s conventions. Her theatrical background gave her a commanding stage presence that few could match.
Rainey’s influence extended beyond her own performances. She discovered and mentored a young Bessie Smith, passing on the knowledge and techniques that would help Smith become the “Empress of the Blues.” Rainey’s recordings for Paramount Records in the 1920s documented the early development of blues as a commercial music form, preserving styles and songs that might otherwise have been lost.
Albert King – Left-Handed, Right-Strung
Albert Nelson, who performed as Albert King, was born in Indianola, Mississippi, in 1923. One of the most distinctive aspects of King’s playing was his unusual setup: he was left-handed but played a right-handed guitar flipped upside down without restringing it. This meant he played with the bass strings on the bottom and the treble strings on top, creating a unique approach to bending and phrasing that became his signature.
King’s unconventional technique allowed him to achieve string bends that were impossible for conventional players. His ability to bend strings a full tone or more while maintaining perfect pitch created a vocal-like quality in his guitar work that influenced countless musicians. His 1967 album “Born Under a Bad Sign” became a blues classic and helped establish the sound of modern electric blues.
Reverend Gary Davis – Blind Preacher of the Piedmont
Gary Davis was born in Laurens County, South Carolina, in 1896, and lost his sight early in life. Despite this challenge, he developed an incredibly complex fingerpicking style that incorporated elements of ragtime, country, and classical music. Davis saw his musical ability as a gift from God and used it primarily to spread religious messages, though he also played secular blues.
Davis’s guitar technique was so advanced that he became a sought-after teacher, instructing musicians who would later become famous in their own right. His influence on the folk revival of the 1960s was enormous, as young musicians flocked to learn from the master. Artists like Stefan Grossman, Jorma Kaukonen, and David Bromberg all studied with Davis, carrying his techniques into rock and folk music.
Memphis Minnie – Guitar-Slinging Queen
Lizzie Douglas, who performed as Memphis Minnie, was born in Algiers, Louisiana, in 1897, but moved to Memphis as a teenager. In an era when female blues musicians were primarily vocalists, Minnie was unique in her ability to match any male guitarist note for note. She could play both acoustic and electric guitar with equal skill and wasn’t afraid to challenge male musicians to guitar contests, which she often won.
Minnie’s playing was characterized by its power and precision. She used a resonator guitar that could cut through the noise of crowded clubs and outdoor gatherings. Her recordings from the 1930s and 1940s showcase a sophisticated understanding of blues guitar that influenced both her contemporaries and future generations of musicians. She proved that women could be just as innovative and technically proficient as their male counterparts.
Lightnin’ Hopkins – Front Porch Philosopher
Sam “Lightnin'” Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas, in 1912, and learned to play guitar from his older brother and cousins. His style was heavily influenced by Blind Lemon Jefferson, whom he met as a teenager and occasionally accompanied on the streets of Dallas. Hopkins developed a highly personal approach to blues that emphasized storytelling and improvisation over technical virtuosity.
Hopkins’s ability to create songs on the spot about current events, people in his audience, or whatever struck his fancy made him a captivating performer. He would sit on his front porch or in small clubs, spinning tales through song that captured the experiences of working-class African Americans in Texas. His prolific recording career spanned decades and documented the evolution of post-war blues.
Bukka White – Freight Train Singer
Booker T. Washington “Bukka” White was born in Houston, Mississippi, in 1906, and his life was marked by trouble with the law that led to multiple prison sentences. It was during his incarceration at the infamous Parchman Farm that White wrote some of his most powerful songs, including “Parchman Farm Blues” and “Fixin’ to Die Blues.” These songs provided a rare glimpse into the brutal reality of the Southern prison system.
White’s guitar style was influenced by the rhythm of trains, which he incorporated into his playing through driving rhythms and repetitive patterns that mimicked the sound of locomotives. His 1937 recordings for Vocalion Records captured this unique approach, but it wasn’t until his rediscovery in the 1960s that his full genius was recognized by a wider audience.
John Lee Hooker – From Sharecropper to Boogie King
John Lee Hooker was born in Tutwiler, Mississippi, in 1917, and learned to play guitar from his stepfather, Will Moore, who taught him a distinctive style that emphasized rhythm over melody. Hooker’s approach to blues was unique in its simplicity and power – he would often play just one chord throughout an entire song, creating a hypnotic, trance-like effect that was unlike anything else in blues music.
In 1943, Hooker moved to Detroit to work in the automobile factories, but his musical career took off when he began playing in local clubs. His 1948 recording of “Boogie Chillen” became a massive hit and established his reputation as the king of electric boogie blues. Hooker’s style influenced the development of rock music, and his songs were covered by artists from The Rolling Stones to ZZ Top.
Victoria Spivey – Blueswoman Turned Label Owner
Victoria Regina Spivey was born in Houston, Texas, in 1906, and began her career singing in local clubs as a teenager. Her bold, often risqué lyrics and powerful voice made her a popular performer, and she was one of the first blues artists to achieve success through recordings rather than just live performance. Her 1926 recording of “Black Snake Blues” was a major hit that launched her career.
What set Spivey apart from other blues singers was her business acumen. In the 1960s, she founded Spivey Records, making her one of the first female blues artists to own and operate her own record label. She used the label to record both established artists and newcomers, including a young Bob Dylan, whom she recognized as a major talent early in his career.
Blind Willie Johnson – Street-Corner Evangelist
Willie Johnson was born in Pendleton, Texas, around 1897, and was blinded as a child, reportedly when his stepmother threw lye in his face during a domestic dispute. Despite this tragedy, Johnson developed an extraordinary ability to play slide guitar and sing with a voice that seemed to channel otherworldly power. He spent his life as a street-corner evangelist, using his music to spread religious messages.
Johnson’s guitar technique was revolutionary – he used a knife as a slide and played with such intensity that his performances seemed to transcend the boundaries between music and spiritual experience. His recordings from the late 1920s and early 1930s influenced countless musicians, from blues players to rock stars. Led Zeppelin’s “In My Time of Dying” is based on one of Johnson’s songs.
Junior Kimbrough – Juke Joint Hero
David “Junior” Kimbrough was born in Hudsonville, Mississippi, in 1930, and spent most of his life playing in the backwoods juke joints of North Mississippi. His style was unique even among hill country blues players – he would often play just one chord for an entire song, creating a hypnotic, trance-inducing effect that was perfect for dancing but completely different from traditional blues structures.
Kimbrough operated his own juke joint, where he would play all night long, often with his sons backing him on bass and drums. The atmosphere in these places was raw and primal, with the music serving as a soundtrack for drinking, dancing, and socializing. It wasn’t until Fat Possum Records discovered him in the 1990s that Kimbrough’s music reached a wider audience, influencing alternative rock bands like The White Stripes.
Jessie Mae Hemphill – Fife and Drum Blues
Jessie Mae Hemphill (October 18, 1923 – July 22, 2006) was an American electric guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist specializing
Besides founding Festivaltopia, Luca is the co founder of trib, an art and fashion collectiv you find on several regional events and online. Also he is part of the management board at HORiZONTE, a group travel provider in Germany.
