Birth of Blues

As with many other genres of music, little is documented about the origin of Blues. It is a genre of music in which the African and European music traditions are combined. It dates back to when Black African slaves were brought into the United States, starting in the 17th century, to work in the cotton fields in the southern part of the country, especially in the Mississippi Delta. It first started as field hollers, developed into a form of call-and-response between slaves, and was further developed by the influence of minstrel show music, ragtime, church music, and the folk and popular music of the white population.

Etymology of Blues and the First Blues Music

Among a number of theories that abound over the etymology of the term “blues”, the most representative is that it was brought from British playwright George Coleman's 1798 work "Blue Devils”, meaning depression and sadness. From this, some say “blues” could represent the melancholy image the color blue stands for, but others assert it is a plural form of blue since it uses two blue notes of the blues scale.

The earliest references to blues date back to the early 1900s. The first blues song to be published as sheet music was "I Got The Blues" by Antonio Maggio in 1908, and in 1912 Black bandleader W.C. Handy’s composition “Memphis Blues” was published. The first blues recording was "Crazy Blues" by Mamie Smith in 1920.

Early 1900s: Delta Blues

Delta Blues is one of the earliest styles of blues that developed in the Mississippi Delta region. Guitars and harmonicas were commonly used. It is characterized by frequent use of slide techniques in which the guitar is played by sliding with a cut bottleneck tucked on the pinky finger. It emphasizes strong rhythm and powerful vocals. Delta Blues spread to Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, New Orleans and Atlanta, playing the main role in the diffusion of country blues.

1940s: Chicago Blues

Chicago Blues, the most famous among urban blues, developed in Chicago, Illinois during the late 1940s to the early 1950s as Black Americans in the southern part of the U.S. moved north in search of jobs. It is also called Electric Chicago Blues as it adapted electric guitars with high-powered amplifiers, which fit performances in large cities, on top of Delta Blues’s acoustic guitars and harmonicas. Unlike the slow and rugged Delta Blues, it is famous for its bright and fast style.

The Influence of Blues: Jazz, Rhythm and Blues (R&B), Rock

Blues profoundly influenced many other musical styles, such as jazz, rhythm and blues, rock music, and heavy metal. It is no exaggeration to say that blues serves as a root for almost all popular music. It is an influential genre that can be transformed into and embraced by many styles.

Blues in Korea

Blues in Korea has a longer history than what you might expect; especially, during the 1960s and 1970s musicians from the United States 8th Army in Korea had their root style in blues.

During the 1980s, a group named “Sinchon Blues”, as we can easily recognize from the group’s name, had a style based on blues. They had many hit songs during their time, and they are still listened to and remembered today by many fans.
Recently, many blues musicians have been working with “Korean Blues Society” (an organization of blues musicians), and 2018’s “Seoul Blues Festival” has set a milestone in the development of blues in Korea.