Early Blues History, Memphis Scene & Chicago Blues Legends

What major movement helped spread the blues to Memphis and St. Louis in the early 1900s?

The Great Migration.

What musical traditions blended to form early blues?

Gospel, country, and rural folk traditions.

What street became the cultural hub of Memphis blues in the 1920s?

Beale Street.

What types of music and entertainment were common on Beale Street?

Jug bands, ragtime, medicine shows, juke joints, riverboats, and civic events.

Who recorded Crazy Blues in 1920, sparking the female blues craze?

Mamie Smith.

What were common early blues group types?

Guitar duos and jug bands.

What influenced the larger Memphis ensemble sound?

Ragtime and jazz.

What four regions blended into the Memphis blues sound?

Delta, Mississippi hill country, Eastern Arkansas, Western Tennessee.

Where was Memphis Minnie discovered?

On Beale Street.

What was Memphis Minnie's first hit?

"Bumble Bee" (1929).

What slowed blues recording during the 1930s and early 1940s?

The Great Depression and WWII.

Which Memphis studio recorded BB King, Howlin' Wolf, and Ike Turner?

Sam Phillips' Sun Studio.

What was significant about WDIA radio in 1949?

It was the first station with an all‑Black format and all‑Black on‑air staff.

What happened to Beale Street in the mid‑1950s?

It declined as musicians moved to Chicago and New York.

Where was Robert Wilkins originally from?

Northern Mississippi.

When did Wilkins establish himself in Memphis?

Late 1920s.

What themes appear in Wilkins' music?

Rambling, longing, escape, grief, confinement, moral struggle.

Name three important Wilkins songs.

"Rolling Stone," "That's No Way to Get Along," "Long Train Blues."

What is Wilkins' most influential 1929 recording?

"That's No Way to Get Along."

What biblical story does "That's No Way to Get Along" parallel?

The Prodigal Son.

What did Wilkins become after 1935?

A minister in the Church of God in Christ.

What Rolling Stones song was adapted from Wilkins' "That's No Way to Get Along"?

"Prodigal Son."

How did the Stones' version differ from Wilkins'?

It was a more direct biblical retelling.

Did Wilkins receive royalties for the Stones' adaptation?

No.

What instrument is Furry Lewis known for?

Slide guitar.

What else is Furry Lewis known for?

Storytelling and influence on the blues revival.

What was Jim Jackson's biggest hit?

"Kansas City Blues."

What humorous song is Jim Jackson known for?

"I Heard the Voice of a Porkchop."

When did jug bands flourish?

1920s-1930s.

What city was the peak center for jug bands?

Memphis.

Name four major jug band leaders.

Will Shade, Charlie Burse, Gus Cannon, Jack Kelly.

Where did jug bands commonly perform?

Beale Street clubs, juke joints, picnics, street corners, civic events, medicine shows, trains, riverboats.

What were core jug band instruments?

Jug, kazoo, harmonica, guitar.

Why were jug bands important?

They shaped the Memphis sound and influenced skiffle, early rock, and later blues revival.

What was the first jug band to record commercially?

Will Shade's Memphis Jug Band.

How many songs did they record between 1927-1934?

Nearly 100.

Who did the Memphis Jug Band record with in 1930?

Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe.

What was Charlie Burse known for?

Acrobatic dancing that influenced Elvis Presley.

Who was criticized in "Mr. Crump Don't Like It"?

Memphis mayor E.H. Crump.

What did Crump try to shut down?

Bars, gambling spots, and dance halls.

What W.C. Handy song used a version of "Mr. Crump Don't Like It"?

"Memphis Blues."

Why is the song historically important?

It shows how blues expressed political messaging and community resistance.

What transformed Delta blues into Chicago blues?

Technology and amplification.

What musical feature is common in Chicago blues?

Horn sections.

What roles did Willie Dixon have?

Session musician, producer, bass player.

Who popularized call‑and‑response in Chicago blues?

Sonny Boy Williamson.

Who taught Howlin' Wolf harmonica?

Sonny Boy Williamson.

What instrument was Elmore James a master of?

Slide guitar.

What did Albert King build as a child?

A guitar made from a cigar box.

Who first recorded "Mystery Train"?

Junior Parker.

What was B.B. King's early nickname?

Beale Street Blues Boy.