The Blues - socio-political context & influence on culture

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The Blues.

Stage 2 History Assignment – Blues Essay 2

Vickie Clarke

‘The Blues’ have been a foremost influence on the development of rock music, from Negro spirituals and work songs of the black slaves, through to the R ‘n’ B, and the British Blues boom of the 1960’s and beyond. In this essay, I am exploring the influence of several artists on the blues / rock genre as we know it today, from its cultural socio / political roots to mass popularity.

The first slaves had been captured in Africa during the 16th century and shipped to North America as a source of cheap labour. Beaten, chained and transported below deck, with poor food and water, in overcrowded filthy, disease-ridden conditions, only around one third of the estimated 40million imported during the 300 years of legal slavery survived the journey. In a strange and hostile country, the frightened survivors retained what they were able of their culture by gathering to sing African songs and dance together. The tribes and families would be split up deliberately to prevent further interaction. Many of the slaves were skilled at making music, playing the fiddle, banjo or tribal drums. The Black Codes of Mississippi banned the beating of drums for fear it would cause the slaves to devise a revolt. Very often though, musical skill would add to a slave’s purchase price. Singing the traditional African work chants gave them courage and brotherhood, and hope.

Black slave labour was used to build the railways, houses, bridges and roads, farm cotton and sugar cane, and poor white men who had to compete for the same jobs resented the slaves. This led to violence, fear and murder.

Slavery was declared illegal in 1807, at the time of the American War of Independence, but in the South the practice continued illegally, with slaves being sold for even higher prices. It was not until the Civil War of 1861-1865 that slavery was truly wiped out. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 put an end slavery, though the black people were still to suffer for their independence for many years to come.

‘Goin’ South where the Southern cross the dog..’

W.C. Handy remembered 1903, the first time he saw a poor black man wearing ragged clothes sitting playing the guitar by Mississippi Station, using a pocket knife as a slide. He had never heard anything like it before. W.C. Handy had been a cornet player in a brass band and had led a vocal quartet and worked with minstrel shows.

He collected folk music, and among his collection were many examples of early blues, which he adapted for his own performance, later moving into music publishing. He became known as the ‘Father of the Blues’.

Fred Hagar of Okeh records had been threatened by pressure groups that recording coloured girls would lead to Okeh phonograph machines being boycotted. Perry Bradford, band leader and composer persuaded him to record music that would appeal to America’s fourteen million Negroes. Mamie Smith was the first black blues singer to make a record. ‘That Thing Called Love’ and ‘You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down’ was cut on February 14 1920. White session musicians featured on the song, and it was more in line with the mainstream. Her next song ‘Crazy Blues’ was the first real blues record, and was recorded with all black musicians. Okeh records was never boycotted. This record opened the door to further black singers recording for the ‘race market’, which eventually came to be appreciated by white audiences as well.

Lead Belly

Lead Belly was born on Jeder Plantation, Mooringsport, Louisiana, USA on the 20th January 1889. He had a unique, inimitable personality and guitar style. His real name was Huddie William Ledbetter. As Lead Belly he became a true blues legend, internationally renowned, and perhaps the first country blues singer to be appreciated by the white world.

Huddie’s father, Wes and mother Sally had worked for a white owner until he had enough money to buy his own meagre plot of land to farm, just over the Louisiana border in the state of Texas, which they had to clear themselves. There were no white people for 20 miles around, and communities were scattered – the nearest big town was 40 miles away. His mother was half – Cherokee, and would often be beaten by her husband. Lead Belly was brought up with family violence and isolation. He was taught accordian and guitar by his uncle Terrel Ledbetter.

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As a youth, Huddie played for ‘sukey jumps’ (country dances), and made a living picking cotton. He absorbed many different musical styles, folk, spirituals, country songs, country reels, work songs, jigs, field hollers, children’s game songs and cowboy songs. He was notorious for carrying a gun that his father gave him, and was both hero-worshiped and feared, for his reputation as a drinker, a fighter and a womaniser. Eventually he was run out of town in his late teens, by the community for getting his girlfriend pregnant for the second time and not marrying her. He headed for Fannin ...

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