Rooted in African American antebellum music, Blues music encompasses a wide range of emotions, styles, and sensibilities. Chicago, Country, Delta, Piedmont, Electric, and Memphis are some of the different styles within the genre. See www.pbs.org/theblues/index.html to explore this true American musical form.

Content is provided by McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina.

For further information about any of the artists featured on Digital Traditions, send your questions and comments to hallagan@mailbox.sc.edu.

Mac Arnold Photos | Digital Traditions
Mac Arnold Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

Born and raised on a sharecroppers’ farm in Pelzer, South Carolina and one of thirteen children, Arnold grew up in a world where blues music did not exist, at least to his devoutly religious parents...
Drink Small Photos | Digital Traditions
Drink Small Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

Few vernacular art forms have made as impressive a mark on American culture as the Blues. From the expressive experiences of African-American life, skilled musicians fashioned a distinctive idiom that...