2. SLAVE TRADE
Having been essentially kidnapped by slave traders or rival
tribes and packed like sardines onto a slave ship destined for
the United States or Caribbean the Africans obviously had no
possessions and were forced to endure horrific conditions
often times being chained down in cargo holds suffering from
diseases like scurvy, dehydration and dysentery. On average
one in three slaves didn’t survive the trip.
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3. SLAVERY IN AMERICA
Music played a very important role in the African American
slave culture that was present in the United States. The early
1600’s marked the beginning of slavery as we understand it and
continued for some 265 years until the Union victory of the
American Civil war in 1865, following the Civil war the
Thirteenth Amendment was passed officially outlawing slavery
in the United States.
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4. Having no possessions or connections to their home land or
history, the African slave’s only option to save their heritage
and continually practice their native cultures was by
introducing music into their new lives. This allowed the African
slaves to bond with one another and construct a sense of
community .
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5. THE BEGINNING
Early African slave music can be divided into three categories,
religious songs, work songs and recreational songs.
Religious - religious songs allowed the slaves to preach and
celebrate their beliefs in a open and energetic manner.
Work – work songs and field hollers were used to voice
frustrations and synchronize work so the day went by faster
and their minds were occupied.
Recreation – Unlike the other forms of music, recreational music
depended on stringed instruments and was used to unwind
from a the stresses of every day life.
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6. RELIGIOUS SONGS
In the Deep South during the times of slavery, religious songs
were more often sung a cappella and were largely
representational of the African traditions and heritage slaves
had been taken from back home.
From these humble beginnings we eventually get the heavily
synchronized clapping and stomping Gospel music that we
recognize today.
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7. WORK SONGS
Work songs were used to ease the burden of hard labor and
keep ones mind occupied. The call and response musical form
between groups of slaves working a field was typically used
and while something as simple as work songs may seem
unimportant it’s from this origin we can see the base premise
of a wide array of music today including blues and rock and roll.
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8. RECREATIONAL SONGS
Recreational songs and music depended largely on
instruments, especially the Banjo. Slaves would play, sing,
dance and enjoy the varying types of music while back in their
homes after a long days work or worship service. Eventually
this music caught the ears of their owners and prominent
members of the community who began having slave musicians
perform at festivals and personal gatherings.
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9. It is important to note, that without these three forms of music
(Religious, Work, Recreational) and the African American
population in the early United States of America, we wouldn’t
have seen the musical evolutions into Gospel, Jazz, Rock and
Roll, and Blues. All of which we enjoy today.
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10. THE BLUES
The genre referred to as the Blues is unquestionably American,
in that it is of mixed origins, backgrounds, and has branched
into countless other genres.
―The passionate and uniquely American art form known as the
blues was born in the steamy fields, dusty street corners and
ramshackle juke joints of the Deep South in the late 1800s. An
evolution of West African music brought to the United States by
slaves, the blues emerged as southern blacks expressed the
hardships, heartbreak, religion, passion and politics of their
experiences through a blend of work songs, field hollers and
spirituals.‖ (Song Artists)
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11. THE BLUES
―As the African American community that created the blues
began moving away from the South to escape its hardscrabble
existence and Jim Crow laws, blues music evolved to reflect
new circumstances. After thousands of African American farm
workers migrated north to cities like Chicago and Detroit during
both World Wars, many began to view traditional blues as an
unwanted reminder of their humble days toiling in the fields;
they wanted to hear music that reflected their new urban
surroundings. In response, transplanted blues artists such as
Muddy Waters, who had lived and worked on a Mississippi
plantation before riding the rails to Chicago in 1943, swapped
acoustic guitars for electric ones and filled out their sound with
drums, harmonica, and standup bass. This gave rise to an
electrified blues sound with a stirring beat that drove people
onto the dance floor and pointed the way to rhythm and blues
and rock and roll.‖ (Blues Classroom)
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12. MUDDY WATERS
Born with the name McKinley Morganfield in 1915, Muddy
Waters as he would later be known , moved to Chicago in 1943
with the intention of becoming a Blues man.
After a few failed recordings, Muddy Waters finally found
success with his song I Can’t Be Satisfied.
A link to his first hit single:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPfJoBwWRQ8
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13. MUDDY WATERS
Muddy waters (1915-1983) is credited with inventing the
―Chicago sound‖ of Blues music and is referred to as the
―Father of modern Chicago blues‖. He was voted No. 17 in
Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of
All Time. He has also been inducted into the Blues
Foundation Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and
the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. (The Official)
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14. CHICAGO BLUES
Chicago Blues: ―During the 1950s, Chicago blues flourished,
developing the signatures—use of rhythm sections and amplification;
reliance on guitar and harmonica leads; and routine reference to
Mississippi Delta styles of playing and singing—that identify it today.
Consolidation of blues recording continued, with new labels Chess,
Vee-Jay, and Cobra all signing and producing large numbers of artists.
Of these, the most prominent was Chess, whose first generation of
artists—Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield), Little Walter ( Jacobs),
Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf (Chester Burnett)—were exemplars of
Chicago blues style. The distinctive sound of these artists restructured
popular music, providing fundamental elements for subsequent genres
like soul and rock and roll.‖ (Chicago Blues)
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15. MUDDY WATERS
Here is a list of a few famous songs performed by Muddy
Waters.
Honey Bee - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIOmo7OuDgc
You Shook Me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpbSRJhCl9g
The Same Thing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2NxUngq9cM
Rollin’ Stone - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy7T5BpVKl0
Note: Links may need to be copy/pasted in browser.
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16. BO DIDDLEY
Born with the name Ellas Otha Bates in 1928, Bo Diddley was
one of the first American musicians to allow and include
females in his band and initially found success in 1955 with his
No. 1 R&B single Bo Diddley. (Bo Diddley)
A link to his first hit single:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVIrTHqKm5w
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17. BO DIDDLEY
While Bo was very innovative with the progression of music,
creating new rhythms and showcasing his trademark rectangle
guitar, he truly was helping advance women's rights
simultaneously. By being one of the first American men to allow
women in his band, Bo Diddley was able to let women like
"The Duchess" Norma-Jean Wofford show case their musical
talents.
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18. BO DIDDLEY
Bo Diddley (1928-2008) is commonly referred to as ―The
Originator‖ for paving the way for artists in the transition from
Blues to Rock and Roll. He is credited with influencing the likes
of The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix,
and Eric Clapton. Bo Diddley was a Grammy winning artist that
has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
(Bo Diddley)
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19. BO DIDDLEY
Here is a list of a few famous songs performed by Bo Diddley .
Super Blues - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJTX6LMCoLo
Who Do You Love - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAGoqMZRLB4
Road runner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOOFx9c6qyA
Bring it to Jerome - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9qypu3lbZ0
Note: Links may need to be copy/pasted in browser.
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20. B.B. KING
Born with the name Riley B. King in 1925, B.B. King was and
still is one of the hardest working men in the music industry.
―Along the way to becoming an international icon, B.B. had
heeded his mother’s advice. He treated the people he
encountered with honesty, civility, and compassion. And the
work ethic he learned in his youth guided the businesslike
management practices he applied to his large traveling
entourage.‖ (The Early Years)
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21. B.B. KING
―B.B.'s first big break came in 1948 when he performed on
Sonny Boy Williamson's radio program on KWEM out of West
Memphis. This led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth
Avenue Grill in West Memphis, and later to a ten-minute spot on
black-staffed and managed Memphis radio station WDIA.
"King's Spot," became so popular, it was expanded and became
the "Sepia Swing Club." Soon B.B. needed a catchy radio name.
What started out as Beale Street Blues Boy was shortened to
Blues Boy King, and eventually B.B. King.‖ (B.B. King)
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22. B.B. KING
It was B.B. King’s smash hit Three O’clock Blues that really put
him on the map in 1956. Following this hit B.B. King began
touring and performing an incredible 342 one-night stands the
following year. It was through this hard work ethic that B.B. king
has become one of the most renowned musicians in this
century.
Here is the link to B.B. King’s single Three O’clock Blues:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPeTtg3fTB8
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23. B.B. KING
With B.B. King’s long career comes a very long list of produced songs and
albums. The amazing part is that his list of awards and accomplishments is long
enough to rival it. To name a few B.B. King has been inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, was awarded the National Medal of Arts
award, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music by Yale University.
Ranked No. 3 in Time magazines top 10 electric guitarists of all time
Ranked No. 6 in Rolling Stones list of 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Referred to as ―The King of Blues‖.
Has won 15 Grammy awards.
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24. B.B. KING
Here is a list of a few famous songs performed by B.B. King.
The Thrill is Gone - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fk2prKnYnI
Lucille - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y8QxOjuYHg
How Blue Can You Get - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jCNXASjzMY
Woke Up this Morning - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDh_Fg4G0uE
Note: Links may need to be copy/pasted in browser.
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25. CONCLUSION
It has been a long journey , starting from the disenfranchised African
American slaves being plucked from their home land, being forced onto
ships with music as the only option to maintain their histories . Then
years later slaves begin to have their music recognized by their owners
and the evolution begins to take hold. What started as work,
recreational, and religious music begins to take root in all ethnicities
and evolve through the African American culture of the deep south into
Jazz, Rock and Roll, and Blues. Artists like Muddy Waters and Bo
Diddley influenced the next generation to take risks and invent, without
them we wouldn’t have Elvis Presley or the Rolling Stones. Music builds
and evolves itself through generations and while music groups today
may thank the generation before them, they need to look further back .
The popular forms of music today are here because of the African
American culture of the deep south, just listen to B.B. King, a man who
is the Blues, without artists like himself who knows what we’d be
listening to today…maybe we’d still be stuck with early European folk
music?
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