What is Blues

Blues is a genre and a form of music that expresses sad or cheerful emotions powerfully. It was influenced by field hollers, church music, work songs, ragtime, minstrel show music, and other kinds musics from the white population. Blues has love songs, celebratory songs and captures a wide range of emotions.

History of blues

Blues music was started in the late 1800s by African-Americans in the United States. The world wars and the great depression birthed blues music as blacks left the South to the cities of the North.

Today, the blues have influenced several musical styles. For example, blues and jazz are related. Jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton used blues elements in their music.

Blues also have an influence on rock music. Rock singers like Elvis Presley frequently used blues material.

The Musical Characteristics of Blues?

Guitar and vocals are the instruments commonly heard in blues music. Other instruments are piano, bass, drums, and harmonica.