Lesson 5 - Delta Blues in E (Lesson)

A Little More on Delta Blues

Delta blues originated in the Mississippi Delta and although it was being played at the turn of the 20th century it wasn't first recorded until the 1920s, and from then its popularity started to grow.

It's one of the earliest styles of blues music and it heavily contributed to later styles, in particular Chicago blues, as many of the delta artists moved north to the big city to record. There, with the newly invented electric guitar gaining popularity, the new style of blues was born.

Some of the best-known and earliest delta blues musicians are Robert Johnson, Son House, Big Joe Williams, Lead Belly and Charley Patton.

Other delta artists that later went on to popularise Chicago blues are Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James and Otis Rush.

I would suggest all of these artists are recommended listening.