One of my favorite things to play is a slow blues song, which is something I include in every performance. Each time, without really thinking much about it, I’m faced with two questions: 1) How does ...

The blues might be the quintessential American musical genre. Born out of hope for the future and a recognition of the dark, at times, inhumane past, the genre has spawned big names, important music, ...

Labelmates. Blues brothers. Longtime guitar-slingers. And now, finally, tourmates. Tommy Castro and Tinsley Ellis will join forces for an 8 p.m. show on Saturday in the DoubleTree by Hilton’s Grand ...

(ThyBlackMan.com) There’s something about Robert Johnson’s music that grabs you by the soul and doesn’t let go. Maybe it’s the rasp in his voice, the haunted slide of his guitar, or the way his lyrics ...

One of the biggest misconceptions about blues music is that the genre is all about doom and gloom. Naturally, many blues songs feature lyrics about being down in the dumps, love lost, and heartbreak.

We explore where the blues came from and its influence on many modern genres of music. We explore where the blues came from and how it went on to influence many modern genres of music. From Delta ...

As the flood waters rose, many blues artists were inspired to write songs about the disaster and describe the experience of being in a flood. The Mississippi Delta is famous for more than floods; it's ...

As the National Museum of African American Music opens its doors, journalists from the USA TODAY Network explore the stories, places and people who helped make music what it is today in our expansive ...