Remarkable Facts About the History of Blues
There are lots of stories surrounding blues music. It is known as one of the major kind of music which cropped up in the United States.
Blues music has been a part of the American culture, and it is still so till date. Some of the great facts about blues music are listed below;
Chess Records
Aristocrat records became known as Chess Records in the year 1950. It was owned by the brothers Phil and Leonard Chess. The studio was situated in Chicago, Illinois. They were responsible for signing an overwhelming number of blues greats which included renowned artists like Wille Dixon, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and a host of others. Chess record was eventually sold off in 1969.
The Father of the Blues
The first blues song to be published for commercial basis was Memphis Blues by W.C. Handy who was born in Alabama, in the year 1873. He also created numerous blues compositions in the coming years. The critical role he played in introducing blues music to the public got him the name “Father of the Blues.”
The Mother of the Blues
The woman who got the title of Mother of the Blues was Gertrude Pridgett. She was born in 1886, and her family had a performance in a ministerial show. She made her initial appearance on stage in the year 1900. She became known as Ma Rainey when she got married in 1902. She continued to perform in numerous ministerial shows alongside her husband all around the south. She signed up with Paramount Records in 1923, and she recorded over 90 songs between the years 1923 and 1928.
The Devil and Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson who was born in Mississippi in the year 1911 has the most mysterious stories surrounding him. He was asked to stick to playing the harmonica the first time he played the guitar for Wille Brown and Son House. He left and arrived some years later and played for them again, this time showing the talent that was even more than theirs. It was at this point the rumors of Johnson selling his soul to the devil cropped up.