Early downhome blues

Description

Hailed as a classic in music studies when it was first published in 1977, Early Downhome Blues is a detailed look at traditional country blues artists and their work. A compact disk including nineteen outstanding examples of early blues music is included with this new edition. Combining musical analysis and cultural history, Titon examines the origins of downhome blues in the African American tradition. He also explores what happened to the art form when the blues were commercially recorded and became part of the larger American culture. From forty-eight musical transcriptions, Titon derives a grammar of early downhome blues melody. His book is enriched with the recollections of blues performers, audience members, and those working in the recording industry. In a new afterword, Titon reflects on the genesis of this book in the blues revival of the 1960s and the politics of tourism in the current revival under way.

First Sentence

Late in the 1960s, when I was playing guitar in Lazy Bill Lucas's blues band, I asked him what the phrase down home meant.

Excerpt

Late in the 1960s, when I was playing guitar in Lazy Bill Lucas's blues band, I asked him what the phrase down home meant.

Subjects

Other Editions

• Early downhome blues: a musical and cultural analysis.University of Illinois Press1977-01-01
• EARLY DOWNHOME BLUES-1STPaperbackUniversity of Illinois Press1977-01-01
• Early downhome bluesUniversity of Illinois Press1977-01-01
• Early Downhome BluesHardcoverUniversity of Illinois Press1977-11-01
• Early Downhome BluesUniversity of Illinois Press1979-01-01
• Early Downhome BluesWiley & Sons, Limited, John1985-01-01