Blues category: 910 books

One of the greats of blues music, Willie Dixon was a recording artist whose abilities extended beyond that of bass player. A singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer, Dixon's work influenced countless artists across the music spectrum. In Willie Dixon: Preacher of the Blues, Mitsutoshi Inaba examines...

This unique collection of essays examines the flow of African American music and musicians across the Atlantic to Europe from the time of slavery to the twentieth century. In a sweeping examination of different musical forms--spirituals, blues, jazz, skiffle, and orchestral music--the contributors...

The devil is the most charismatic and important figure in the blues tradition. He's not just the music's namesake ("the devil's music"), but a shadowy presence who haunts an imagined Mississippi crossroads where, it is claimed, Delta bluesman Robert Johnson traded away his soul in exchange...

A contemporary of blues greats Blind Blake, Tampa Red, and Papa Charlie Jackson, Chicago blues artist William "Big Bill" Broonzy influenced an array of postwar musicians, including Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim, and J. B. Lenoir. In Blue Smoke, Roger House tells the extraordinary story of "Big...

The rich, complex lives of African Americans in Texas were often neglected by the mainstream media, which historically seldom ventured into Houston's Fourth Ward, San Antonio's East Side, South Dallas, or the black neighborhoods in smaller cities. When Bill Minutaglio began writing for Texas newspapers...

These tunes were inspired by the great "first generation" acoustic blues guitarists: Huddie Ledbetter, Mance Lipscomb, Gary Davis, Jesse Fuller, Blind Blake, and others. Author Fred Sokolow's tunes convey some of the same feelings as these early blues artists and are fun to play. Several...

Seasoned guitar instructor Fred Sokolow offers a wealth of classic blues licks that can be applied in a variety of blues performance situations. Sokolow has divided the licks into categories to aid in thought organization about the guitar fretboard. Some of the licks are based on scales, and others on chords. Written in standard notation and tablature.

Blues Deluxe is an album by album guide to the music of popular blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa. Profusely illustrated with dozens of color photos, the guide includes over a dozen album reviews and reprints a rare 2011 Bonamassa interview.

Based on famous blues songs, this is the best beginning blues book in print. Complete lyrics are given to all the songs, and the text is enlivened by photographs throughout.

Classic Chicago Blues Harp #2 follows book/CD #1 and is a progressive lesson book that walks you step-by-step from the intermediate stages of playing the harmonica to the very advanced. This lesson book is the main backbone to the Harmonica Masterclass Lesson Series. Classic Chicago Blues Harp takes...

Minor Blues Harmonica includes introductory material for new players on holding the harmonica, achieving a single note, and common techniques that sound great on the instrument. Not-so-new players will enjoy learning new songs at their current skill levels. Intermediate players will benefit from learning...

An essential work for rock fans and scholars, Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock ‘n’ Roll surveys the origins of rock ’n’ roll from the minstrel era to the emergence of Bill Haley and Elvis Presley. Unlike other histories of rock, Before Elvis offers a far broader and deeper analysis of...

Transcriptions of 34 important blues songs and instrumentals presented in standard notation and tablature with vocal lines and lyrics. Includes 'Travelling Riverside Blues' and 'Baby What You Want Me To Do'.

In this first volume of Bottle Neck Blues by Rick Payne you'll be learning the basics of slide guitar playing. If you've never tried it before it can be at once quite tricky but also an immediate way of sounding just like the old bluesmen Robert Johnson, Son House and many more. You'll...