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Memphis blues music has a very rich and interesting history that is packed with many of the biggest names in American music. Created in the 1920s and 1930s, Memphis blues music was created by musicians that lived in the area, like Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes, John Estes and Memphis Minnie. At first, it was only popular in vaudeville and medicine shows, but soon it quickly grew to capture the interest of the entire nation.

Memphis blues music really got its start on Beale Street, the place where the nightlife and culture of Memphis was (and still is). There have been several books written, dedicated only to Memphis blues music and Beale Street, including Goin Back to Memphis by James L. Dickerson, which came out in the year 2000.

Memphis blues music gained a lot of popularity very fast, largely in part to its unique sound. Because many of the musicians were poor and could not afford to buy traditional instruments, they were forced to improvise using household items that were previously not known for their sound producing capabilities. For example, washboards, kazoos and Jews harps were all prevalent in early Memphis blues music.

Quite possibly the most unique and frequently used odd instruments found in Memphis blues music is the jug. To replace the sound that an expensive bass guitar would make, people would blow into various sized jugs to create a deep and hollow sound. Of course, some of the people in Memphis blues music were able to get their hands on traditional instruments such as violins, banjos and mandolins.

Memphis blues music never really featured any electric instruments until after World War II, when Memphis blues music musicians slowly started buying and using them. Memphis blues music also started to transform itself as new musicians came onto the Memphis scene. This is because many African Americans started to migrate away from impoverished rural areas in search of cities and good jobs. Among those making the trek to Memphis were Willie Nix, Ike Turner, Howlin Wolf and B.B. King.

Still, Memphis blues music remained confined to the area of Memphis. That is, until Sun Records took an interest in Memphis blues music and started signing local artists as fast as they could. Eventually, Memphis blues music would go on to influence rock and roll, modern jazz and rhythm and blues music, and has been cited by several famous musicians in their songs.

Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today.

Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues.

As industry progressed and developed in to the 1920’s, so did the everyday lives of the people it affected, and by this time Blues music was also developing. By the 1920’s it had developed a very particular style, based around a number of three-line rhymed stanzas. These stanzas contained one line of verse that was repeated, and finished with a final line of rhyming verse.

The style at this time included a repeating blues chord progression, which then formed the basis for the harmony. Although there were variations, the usual rule of thumb was a 12-bar pattern utilizing the 3 major chords of a scale. The text was set to a 12-bar chorus, and typically was between four and eight stanzas in length.

In typical cases, the melody is formed by flattened third, fifth and seventh notes of the major scale. The outcome is the ‘bent’ notes that lend Blues music that distinctive sound – the bittersweet emotional impact that lacks in other genres. For the majority of blues music the focus is on the vocals – contradicting the fact that performers will often improvise instrumental solos over the Blues chord progressions.

Country Blues

This style arose from the Southern rural experience, and was particularly influenced by the impact of emancipation. Country Blues are often referred to as Delta Blues, a nod towards the Mississippi Delta where they first originated. There were many itinerant workers (mostly men) traveling from community to community, singing songs about freedom, love, the general sorrows of life and, of course, sex.

Classic Blues

African Americans began to migrate, mainly looking for work – it led to Blues music becoming much more urban-orientated, as areas such as Memphis and New Orleans began to become more populated. The music evolved as their way of life evolved. Male or female vocalists began to appear more regularly, and there was now the addition of a single piano.

The audience also grew, and Blues became more mainstream. Throughout the country as a whole, Blues music could now be heard in dancehalls and barrooms. The music industry as a whole started to take note, and more and more compositions and marketing arrangements emerged, as people began to take notice. The popularity of this kind of music grew exponentially. What would become known as Classic Blues became so popular that many songs were released with the word ‘blues’ in the title to capitalize on this, even though they bared little or no relation to the style of music.

Electric Blues

The appetite for the style of music known as the Blues was quite voracious. Its center, previously clustered around Memphis and New Orleans, began to migrate, and soon cities such as Chicago became the central point of much of the music.

With the end of the Second World War, there was a renewed revival to the genre, and there was a lot of development in the music, the most notable changes were the extra emphasis on the bass drums and the cranking up of the guitar sounds. By the time the 1950’s rolled around, the music was no longer centered solely around the African American community, and had an equal number of protagonists across all races. Artists like Bill Haley and Elvis began to incorporate the genre into their own brands.

The incorporation of the Blues style into different genres still exists today, and Blues music in its own right continues to go from strength to strength – many top selling artists maintain the original styles. The influence that Blues music has had on the music industry as a whole is undisputed, and yet Blues music is still evolving, still developing, and still evoking the stirrings of the soul to anyone who cares to listen!

Piano players and other musicians who desire to learn the foundations of purely American music should start with the blues. This music form began over a century ago. Today’s jazz, hip-hop, rock-and-roll and rhythm and blues owes a debt to it.

Certainly, the word “blues” evokes a sense of the mood of being blue. The music has those qualities, but in its own way it is also capable of being very uplifting. Many blues songs are cries of hope for better days to come.

The blues form developed out of the African-American experience. The music we call blues is a touchstone back to their struggles in America and their growth as a people to more freedom. Blues songs are rooted in work songs, field chants, singing and talk. They also have their basis in spiritual songs and country ballads.

The first blues emerged out of the Deep South, in Texas, Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta. The music sang of the struggles of the worker and the impoverished lives many of them lived. Their great toil and sacrifice had articulation in stories, with many of them presented in song form.

A big boost to the stature of the blues came in 1912, when William Christopher Handy transcribed and published the song “Memphis Blues.” He was an African-American dance orchestra conductor. He gave himself the name “Father of the Blues” because of his tireless efforts to write, transcribe and publish blues music to get it to the masses.

The blues progressed from the Deep South to the north and entrenched itself in cities such as Chicago and Detroit. The music changed as it moved northward. No longer all about the poor conditions in the south, the music began to speak of the urban environments African-Americans were now living in.

The blues changed even more in the ’40s and ’50s as radio continued to spread its songs all over America. New electronic innovations lent the blues a different sound, with electric guitar at the forefront. Musicians carried this fresh electric sound with blues elements into the rock and R & B genre, which developed.

Those who hear that blues sound in much of today’s music may not understand that the music is very basic in its construction. A piano player desiring to learn the blues can understand its elements quickly with a little bit of study.

The most common blues heard and played are the 12-bar blues. Blues musicians found they could express their thoughts fully in a mere 12 bars or measures of music. However, there is room in these 12 bars for much creativity, whether musical or lyrical.

Almost all of blues music is in 4/4 time. This means there are four beats in each bar. Within a bar, each quarter note receives one beat. Further, a 12-bar blues song is broken down into three sections of four bars each. Musicians usually build blues chords on the first, fourth and fifth notes of an eight-note music scale. These form the blues chord progression. The first chord is typically prominent in the first four bars. The second four bars normally highlight the fourth chord of a scale, and the last four bars highlight the fifth chord of a scale.

For the lyrics to a blues song, the AAB pattern is predominant. A singer will sing the first and second four-bar verses with the same lines sung in each. The third four-bar verse will have different lines. Therefore A and A refer to the verses with the same lines; the B refers to the verse with different lines.

There can be different 12-bar segments in a blues song. When one 12-bar section gets resolved with the last four bars answering the previous eight, a new motif can develop in the next 12-bar section. In addition, while the 12-bar blues are the most common form in the blues arena, there are exceptions to it for variety and experimentation.

In the 1950s and 1960s, there was a movement in Britain, which brought about the “British Blues.” They were followers of the American blues tradition and very strict in following this form to a tee. This ended in the middle 1960s as the musicians from this country began to develop their own blues concepts and styles, although still based on the pioneering American blues school of thought.

The blues lends itself to much of the piano music available for playing today. Its influence is apparent in Broadway show tunes, film music and much music of the love-ballad type. Blues music can be a welcome addition to any pianist’s repertoire.

Inch Blue

Love your baby’s feet

Inch-Blue, a divine range of handmade soft leather shoes which have been adorning the feet of babies and toddlers since 1999, is designed my mum of two, Rhiannon Owen, who lives with her family in Cardiff, Wales.

“My daughters are a constant source of inspiration,” says Rhiannon, whose focus has been on creating shoes that provide total comfort for little, growing feet. To ensure she’s always close to her family, Rhiannon has even opened Inch Blue factory close to her home, ensuring that she can stay on top of quality control and production at all times whilst having her family nearby.

Made exclusively from soft, natural and non-toxic leather, Inch Blue shoes let babies’ feet breathe. And to ensure the shoes can’t fall off, they feature elasticated ankles, which are recommended for babies as they are the next best thing to bare feet. And the best thing of all is that when they get dirty, they simply need to be wiped down using a damp cloth!

With over 100 fun and fresh designs to choose from (and around 25 new styles added each season!), there’s always a style that will appeal. If your little girl is as sweet as can be, then why not get her a pair of the deliciously divine Cupcake shoes, and if your little boy has a musical ear, then what about the too-cool-for-school Guitar shoes?

Inch Blue’s constantly evolving shoe collection is complemented by gift sets, which include 100% cotton babygrows and 100% lambswool receiving blankets, making Inch Blue a popular choice for new parents and people looking for imaginative and eye-catching gift ideas. Inch Blue shoes retail at £17.00, gift sets at £30.00 and receiving blankets at £40.00.

Not just for babies, Inch Blue shoes are suitable for children up to four years old. The supple, non-slip kid suede soles are ideal for tiled and wooden floors, keeping toddlers cosy and safe when crawling around or taking their first precious steps indoors. They are also ideal for use when in the buggy or car seat.

All the shoes have a low carbon footprint as they are designed and hand-crafted in the Inch Blue factory in Wales. The shoes come in either a clear gift bag with handle or luxurious box. Gift sets and blankets also come in boxes in white, baby blue and baby pink.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Rhiannon has also launched a spin-off brand called Rosie & Romeo, which has been designed to complement the already established Inch Blue brand. “I love nostalgia and have always dreamt about creating a range that conjures up images from my own childhood. I have spent a great deal of time developing the prints and have come up with a range which I feel is both stylish, yet with a hint of the past to it.” Rosie & Romeo features a selection of ‘must have’ accessories and gift sets for babies and toddlers made of charming vintage-inspired fabrics. Prices range from £10.00 – £58.00.

For more information about Inch Blue or Rosie & Romeo visit www.inch-blue.com

Music lovers generally learn to play at least one instrument in their lifetime. One of the most popular and the easiest to learn is the guitar. This instrument is used to play all types of music from Rock and Roll, Pop, and jazz. It is one of the more appealing musical instruments because of it is relatively easy to learn, and it doesn’t cost you a huge amount of money to buy.

When you’re just starting out to learn to play the guitar it can be a little confusing. You may already have your heart set on what type of genre of music you want to play. Whether you already know what type of genre you want to play, or you don’t,  you should consider learning how to play Blues guitar. Blues has played a huge part in the history of music and influenced many musical genres that we have today. If you learn to master playing the Blues on your guitar successfully then you will easily learn to play other genres of music too. Most other genres of music are rooted in Blues music. 

If you want to learn how to play blues guitar you’re in good company. Many people before you, and most likely, many people after you will learn to play the blues on their guitar. Blues music has a very rich and fascinating history. It is believed that blues music originated somewhere between 1870-1900. It reached its peak of popularity in the 1960’s. Because it was so popular, you had a whole generation of kids wanting to learn how to play blues guitar.

When this new generation learned how to play blues guitar, they started making some changes to it. When changes were made to Blues, it evolved. It became different types of genres of music. You can thank Blues for spawning these genres of music:

Jazz, Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, etc…

Blues still lives on as a viable music genre. In fact, within recent times there has been a small resurgence of Blues, especially in the southern United States. However, most of today’s generation doesn’t really know about Blues music. Blues has been dwarfed in popularity by the other genres of music it helped to create. Even some modern hits have elements of Blues in them.

When learning music, its important to understand the origin of the genre you wish you play. Most likely, when you learn to play the guitar, the genre you play, will have its roots in Blues. When you learn how to play blues guitar, you’ll be carrying on a very long and proud history. You will find that when you learn how to play blues guitar, it will make learning other types of genres of music so much easier.

Beginners Blues guitar lessons are ideal, if you’re just starting out learning to play the guitar. If you are reading this article then you are proably intrested in learning blues guitar. There is nothing like being able to strum some cool Blues guitar riffs. Blues is an incredible genre of music.

At the heart and soul of most Blues songs is the guitar. If you’re just starting to learn to play, or always wanted to play the Blues, you have to remember one thing: Even the most skilled Blues guitar players were novices themselves at one time or another.

This is usually one of the simplest forms of music that has played a huge part in the evolution of other genres that are popular in today’s culture. The origin of Blues is thought to have began somewhere between 1870-1900.

The Blues peaked in popularity in the 1960’s. Back then it was one of the most cherished and loved music genres.  Blues paved the way for many other genres of music. When something becomes loved, its inevitable that it evolves and changes. Creative people, like musicians, often will take something and add their own style or flavor to it. That’s exactly what happened to the Blues.

Blues is often given credit for giving birth to the following genres of music: Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Bluegrass, and Rock and Roll. Blues is still alive and well. Blues music just doesn’t enjoy the same popularity it once did at its height. Even if Blues itself isn’t as popular, the genres that evolved from it are. You can still get a taste of Blues in some hit songs. Blues will never truly die.

Blues is mainly played with a guitar which makes the music all the more appealing to people who want to play guitar. For amateurs, there are many ways to learn how to play this type of music and one of them is by taking a beginners Blues guitar course. You will most likely learn what exactly Blues is. How it stands out from all the other genres. Most important, how it is successfully played on the guitar. 

You can try to learn Blues songs on your own. However, your time would be better spent if you had the proper instruction.  You’ll sound a lot better and learn more quickly if you take some beginners Blues guitar lessons. 

Considered as one of the most influential genres of music, Blues has contributed much to the success of most genres while retaining its identity as the one that started it all. If you’re a fan of blues who wants to relive those good old days, then a beginners Blues guitar system may just be right for you. As you can see, because Blues influenced so many other types of music, if you can master playing Blues music on your guitar, you’ll more easily be able to play other genres.

Will Raison has been a member of Team England for 10 years now and is considered one of the best all round match anglers in the country. He’s at Gold Valley in Aldershot showing the finer points of fishing the waggler. Watch and learn. STOP PRESS: In September 2008 Will finally won the individual gold medal at the world freshwater championships. He was also part of Team England who won gold. The championships took place in Italy and it’s not often they lose in their own back yard. Well done …