Let’s Talk About the First Generation Blues

In this episode, Vinnie summarizes the early days of the blues long before Muddy Waters, long before Robert Johnson, and long before Lead Belly. He touches on some of the roots that would turn into the blues, talks about popular blues songwriters like W.C. Handy and discusses the African American female blues singers (Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith) that kickstarted blues’ popularity in the 1920’s, and touches on some of the earliest African American blues men of the age, long before Robert Johnson stood at the Crossroads.