WFUM Michigan Television -- PBS Series "The Blues"

If you love The Blues, you'll love
these resources at the Flint Public Library:

Reference Titles | General Titles | Children's Titles
Videotapes | Compact Disks | Websites

Reference Titles

All Music Guide to the Blues
[REFERENCE 781.57 Al]
Charts the beginning and development of the blues. This comprehensive resource includes artist profiles, music reviews, styles and “music maps.”

Encyclopedia of the Blues
by Gerard Herzhaft [REFERENCE 784.756 He]
An alphabetical listing of blues instruments, styles, and artists from the early 1900’s to present day.

A Guide to the Blues
by Austin Sonnier, Jr. [REFERENCE 784.756 So]
Covers almost 1000 years of blues history, including a biographical dictionary, an ample discography and an examination of the African origins of modern blues music.

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General Titles

Blues Faces: A Portrait of the Blues
by Ann and Samuel Charters [BLACK LIFE 780.92 Ch]
An impressive assortment of photographs from the collection of author and producer Samuel Charters and his wife Ann. Many of the photographs taken while researching blues music were eventually used for album covers, book jackets and magazine articles.

The Blues Highway: New Orleans to Chicago: A Travel and Music Guide
by Richard Knight [NON-FICTION 917 Kn]
By way of Highway 61, this unique travel guide traces the travels of blues musicians from Chicago to New Orleans. In addition to highlighting landmarks like radio stations, record stores and performance venues, the book also provides a history of blues music, interviews with musicians and basic travel information for the cities along the way.

Blues Legacies and Black Feminism
by Angela Y. Davis [BLACK LIFE 780.92 Da]
Besides creating a new musical style, the female blues singers of the 1920s served as role models for many African-American women. This book looks at the effect that singers like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith had on the communities that they came from.

The History of the Blues
by Francis Davis [NON-FICTION 784.756 Da]
Music critic Francis Davis follows the Blues from its origins in the Delta in the early 1900s to its recent return to mainstream popularity, concentrating both on individual artists and on the way changes in racial attitudes have changed blues music overall.

The Land Where Blues Began
by Alan Lomax [NON-FICTION 784.756 Lo]
For over 50 years folk music historian Alan Lomax made numerous trips throughout the South to research the history of Blues. His book, winner of the 1993 National Book Critics Circle Award, chronicles the birth of the Blues through the words and eyes of Southern people.

Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey
by Peter Guralnick [NON-FICTION 784.756 Gu]

Nothing but the Blues: The Music and the Musicians
by Lawrence Cohn [NON-FICTION 784.756 Co]
This collection of essays features writings by numerous Blues experts. A variety of topics are covered, from white country blues to modern blues and they are supplemented by rare photos and other unique illustrations.

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Children’s Titles

The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World
by Julius Lester [J NON-FICTION 920 Le]
Provides an introduction to some of the most popular and influential blues singers of the past 100 years, enhanced by colorful illustrations by Lisa Cohen. Presented from the perspective of a grandparent conversing with his granddaughter, this book talks about what blues music does and why it is important.

The Blues compiled
by Jerry Silverman [J NON-FICTION 784.756 Bl]
Tells the history of the Blues through sheet music, lyrics, photographs and captions.

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Videotapes

Blues Masters: The Essential History of the Blues
[Videotapes 784.756 Bl]
This two-volume series presents a detailed history of blues music, beginning with its origins in Africa and following it to the blues artists of today. Every important blues artist is mentioned, and the evolution of the Blues genre is linked to social and political events in American history.

Out of the Blacks into the Blues: Along the Old Man River
[Videotapes 781.57 Ou]
Interviews with legendary Blues musicians and recordings of their performances are used in this video to illustrate the history of the Blues. Features Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Roosevelt Sykes, Robert Pete Williams and Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry.

Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues
[Videotapes 780.92 Wi]
Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith and their contemporaries were Blues pioneers. Their talent, spirit and hard work are brought to light in this presentation, which combines classic renditions of their songs with remarks by Blues queen Koko Taylor.

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Compact Discs

Try these general titles listed below or browse through our entire Blues section to find your favorite artist. The Blues section can be found in call number 781.643, on the 2nd floor of the Main Library.

Blues Fest: Modern Blues of the 70’s
[781.643 BlueF]
This collection of 70s Blues hits is a great sampling of “modern blues.”

Blues Masters: The Essential Blues Collection – Jump Blues Classics
[781.643 ReBlu]
This assortment of “Jump Blues” has hits ranging from 1947 to 1957.

A Few Degrees Cooler – An Icehouse Sampler
[781.643 IcsS]
A sampling of modern Blues artists on the Icehouse Record label.

Mean Old World
[781.643 MeaO]
A compilation of Smithsonian Collection Recordings, this four-disc set contains performances from 1940 to 1994.

Mississippi Blues
[781.643 MissB]
A musical journey down the Mississippi River from Memphis to New Orleans.

Please Mr. Foreman: Motor City Blues
[781.643 PlM]
A live recording of local Blues artists from the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival.

Roots N’ Blues: A Retrospective
[781.643 RooN]
This four-disc set includes 107 tracks from a wide variety of Blues artists.

The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives and Steel
[781.643 Slid]
A great collection of songs from the “Slide Guitar” greats.

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Websites

The Blue Highway
http://www.thebluehighway.com/
This site profiles 20 legendary Blues artists, complete with sound clips and also includes essays, news, radio programs, a message board and historical radio broadcasts.

The Blues
http://www.pbs.org/theblues/
This online companion to the PBS series includes information about the series, a historical overview of blues music, interviews with series directors and an interactive map that traces the evolution of the Blues. Also includes educational materials for teachers.

The Blues Foundation
http://www.blues.org/
The goals of The Blues Foundation are to preserve blues history, to celebrate blues excellence and to support blues education. Their website contains links to blues clubs, blues history, information about blues festivals across the country and a list of essential blues CDs.

It’s A Girl Thang
http://bluesland.net/thang/
Combining the history of female blues singers through artist profiles with information and links to modern blues women, this site is both useful and entertaining. Also includes a section on international blues women and a list of recommended readings.

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Photo Credit: Bessie Smith
Photo © Frank Driggs Collection
Featured in "Warming by the Devil's Fire" One of the biggest stars of her time - male or female - Bessie Smith evolved from street musician to vaudeville performer to finally become one of the greatest classic blues singers of the 1920s.

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