Sign In
 
 
 
 

Description of Delta Blues

 
Mostly played with an acoustic guitar, the sound of Delta Blues is the sound of blues archetypes. This includes the ghostly legend Robert Johnson, Chicago Blues architect Muddy Waters, harmonica master Sonny Boy Williamson II, and the reigning king of the blues, John Lee Hooker. Characterized by passionate lyrics and vocals, Delta Blues is usually performed solo, although some small combos, like Williamson's various groups, have recorded as well.
 

Delta Blues Key Tracks

 
Play/Add All
Play/Add Track Artist
1. High Sheriff Blues Charley Patton
2. Boom Boom John Lee Hooker
3. Cross Road Blues Robert Johnson
4. Nobody's Dirty Business Mississippi John Hurt
5. Dimples John Lee Hooker
 

Filed Under

 
 

Delta Blues Key Artists

 
Bukka White

Bukka White was a Country
Blues guitarist and singer
with a distinctive style. He
is best known for
"Parchman Farm Blues." B...

Charley Patton

The Delta's first true star,
Charley Patton's tortured
growl and explosive guitar
playing were a major draw
in 1930s South. Patton is o...

Dr. Isaiah Ross

Delta-born guitarist/harpist
who made the exodus to
Detroit, plying his rhythmic,
grooving trade in juke joints
in the city. Ross originally...

John Lee Hooker

Blues musician John Lee
Hooker helped define the
post-World War II electric
blues with his one-chord
boogie compositions and...

Junior Kimbrough

Junior Kimbrough was a
Delta blues sorcerer who
played most of his life in
obscurity. Kimbrough was a
local star in Mississippi blu...

Mississippi Fred McDowell

Churning, treadmill slide
guitar work and somber
vocals are the trademarks
of this Delta Blues elder
statesman. Fred McDowell...

Mississippi John Hurt

An elder statesman of
Acoustic Blues, Hurt
worked a lot of folk into his
Delta-heavy music and sang
with a refined voice. Rev...

R.L. Burnside

R.L. Burnside plays Delta
juke joint blues, heavy on
rhythm and punctuated
with a mean slide.
Burnside's family band, w...

Robert "Junior" Lockwood

Lockwood was one of the
first blues guitarists to get
an electric guitar; in 1938
he moved to Chicago to put
it to work. Well into his '8...

Robert Johnson

Myths of the blues include
Satanism, crimes of passion,
and superstition. Most of
these can be attributed to
Robert Johnson. Robert J...

Skip James

Skip James' keening vocal
style and unique
three-finger picking style
were among the first Delta
blues recorded. Nehemia...

Son House

A major influence on the
formation of Delta Blues,
Son House's music is
bare-boned and haunting.
After not playing guitar fo...

Electronics

Listen to any song in the catalog through home audio systems, MP3 players, mobile apps and more.

Get Unlimited Music

Listen to anything and everything with a Rhapsody Subscription.
AMG - Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
© 2001-2009 Listen.com, a subsidiary of RealNetworks