Blues Music: An Introduction: Books and Audiovisual

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Click the links below to see some of what we have to offer. Explore the library's collection by trying your own searches as well.

In addition to performing keyword or subject searches, you can also try searching for popular blues authors such as Samuel Charters, Paul Oliver, William Ferris, or Peter Guralnick.

If you need a book about the blues, search our online catalog.

Tip: Use "Subject" searching to produce more focused search results. 

If you are browsing for a book, use the call numbers below as a guide.  

Please note that some of the subclasses above are not specific to the blues genre alone.

Most biographies of blues musicians and groups will be in the ML420-421 range.

Be aware that not all books relating to the blues will necessarily be in the same area. Depending on the book's primary subjects, it can be classed in E (American History), F (Local History), or even in HM or HN (Sociology and Social History, respectively). Therefore, while browsing is a great way to find books, you should search the catalog to ensure that you find everything on your topic.

The library regularly acquires new books on blues music, so be sure to check the catalog and shelves often.

Click here for more catalog search tips.

Bibliography

• 100 Books Every Blues Fan Should Own by Komara and Johnson -- For fans building a blues collection, or researchers trying to unearth that last bit of hidden information, 100 Books ... is a great place to start. In addition to the core bibliography, the authors examine relevant reference materials.
• African-American Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel and Zydeco on Film and Video, 1926-1997 by Vernon -- Serves the purposes of filmmakers and general consumers alike. This guide mostly caters to filmmakers interested in identifying good source material; however, Sections 5 and 6 point to commercially available sources for fans. 
• The Blues: A Bibliographical Guide by Hart, Eagles, and Howorth  -- This bibliography takes a thematic approach, annotating sources in categories such as Afro-American Folklore, Music of the Blues, Poetry of the Blues, Blues and Society, Blues in Literature, and Blues Biographies.
• A Blues Bibliography by Ford  -- This massive bibliography mostly covers biographical information, but it also contains worthwhile sections on blues history and record labels.
• Mississippi Black Folklore by Ferris -- Covering a broad spectrum, this title provides about nine pages of on-target sources along with a discography and filmography on Mississippi singers.

Biography

• The Big Book of the Blues by Santelli -- Biographical encyclopedia with over 600 entries.
• Blues Who's Who by Harris -- Just shy of 600 entries, this encyclopedia provides basic biographical data; it also includes influences (by and on) when available, famous songs, and trivia such as quotes about or attributed to the subject.

You can also find biographical profiles of blues musicians in most of the library's music encyclopedias:

• Encyclopedia of Popular Music
• Encyclopedia of the Blues (Routledge)
• Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd Arkansas edition)
• Grove Dictionary of American Music
• The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd Edition)

In addition to the reference works listed above, you can locate other biography collections by performing a subject search in the catalog for blues musicians -- biography. Two examples of many are The Bluesmen by Samuel Charters and Blues Singers by David Dicaire. . For biographies on individual artists or bands (e.g. Big Mama Thornton, Buddy Guy, Little Walter, etc.) search the catalog. 

Blues Readers

• Walking A Blues Road: A Selection of Blues Writing, 1956-2004 by Charters  -- According to the book's acknowledgement, "much of the writing that has made its way into this book appeared first as liner notes or as longer essays for more ambitious record releases." This title also includes previously unpublished essays and excerpts from larger works such as The Legacy of the Blues and The Roots of the Blues.
• Write Me a Few of Your Lines: A Blues Reader by Tracy (ed.) -- A selection of writings, published between 1911 and 1998, on the subject of blues music. Topics include roots, folklore, religion, style, performance, society, literary criticism, and the influence of the blues. 

Blues Sites

• The Blues Highway: New Orleans to Chicago by Knight -- A music and travel guide. Knight lists all of the relevant blues spots from New Orleans to Chicago, but he also provides information on when to go, where to stay, what to eat. etc. 
• Blues Traveling the Holy Sites of Delta Blues by Cheseborough -- Sticking closely to its topic, this source provides nice annotations of famous blues sites in the Mississippi Delta. The author also branches out to Jackson, Oxford, and other popular destinations in Mississippi and Tennessee [online title : accessible to Delta State students, faculty, and staff]
• Memphis and the Delta Blues Trail by Gage and Gage -- Comprehensive travel guide for the Memphis and Delta area. The authors go beyond the blues scope including information on such locations as The Pyramid, FedEx Forum, and even Autozone Park in Memphis.

Discography

• All Music Guide to the Blues (3rd edition) by Bogdanov, Woodstra, and Erlewine (eds.) -- Evaluation of the "definitive picks" of all artists included. Additionally, this guide includes descriptions of no less than 47 styles of blues, a number of brief but helpful essays on blues topics such as the "Roots of the Blues," a "Beginner's Guide ...," and several music maps. 
• Blues & Gospel Records, 1890 - 1943 (4th edition) by Dixon, Godrich, and Rye (compilers) -- This edition intends "to include all sound documents within the musical field covered" including issues and reissues. With so much information available in this one source, users are encouraged to read the introductory material fully. This title also includes interesting sections on the Library of Congress archive and Race labels. 

General Reference

• Blues: A Regional Experience by Eagle and LeBlanc  -- This source primarily indicates origin of birth by ecoregion of blues artists. Listing by region allows users to compare artists easily and to understand how local cultural forces affect the individual and the music.  
• Encyclopedia of the Blues (Routledge) by Komara (ed.) -- An A-Z encyclopedia of all things blues. This source includes entries on biographies, culture, geographic regions, historiography, instruments, music business, music styles, technique, record labels, and song titles.
• Encyclopedia of the Blues (University of Arkansas) by Herzhaft -- A primarily biography-oriented publication, this encyclopedia earns its keep in the back matter. One section traces the lineage of famous blues standards while another describes the playing styles of famous blues musicians.
• A Guide to the Blues: History, Who's Who, Research Sources by Sonnier -- Part 1 covers history, development, and influences, while Part 2 covers musicians. A filmography, bibliography, and discography are also included. 
• The Grove Dictionary of American Music (2nd edition) by Garrett (ed.) -- Includes a ten-page entry on blues music ("Blues") along with an excellent bibliography. Be sure to check for other entries for more detailed information on artists and other related topics. 

History and Influences

• Africa and the Blues by Kubik -- Kubik searches for the African roots and tradition in blues music. [Also available online title to Delta State students, faculty, and staff]
• The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues by Oakley -- Traces the course of the blues from slavery all the way through to the mid-90s.
• Exploring American Folk Music: Ethnic, Grassroots, and Regional Traditions in the United States (3rd edition) by Lornell -- A history of American folk music.
• The Rise of Gospel Blues by Harris -- Seeks to connect gospel and blues through an examination of the life of Thomas Andrew Dorsey.
• Slave Songs of the United States by Allen, Ware, and Garrison (eds.)  -- Lyrics and sheet music for over 100 slave songs. An introduction traces the history and significance of these songs. 
• The Spirituals and the Blues: An Interpretation by Cone -- Suggests that spirituals and the blues go hand in hand, each describing and lamenting the black experience. 

It is impossible to list in this guide all relevant books on the influences of blues music -- not to mention the wealth of information on the impact and influence that blues has had on modern society and other musical genres. To dig deeper into the collection, try searching for the Subject Blues (Music) -- History and criticism or just try some general keyword searches like minstrelsy or gospel music; or, if you're looking for modern influences of the blues, try looking for popular bands like The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin.   

Interviews

• Blues Unlimited: Essential Interviews from the Original Blues Magazine by Greensmith, Rowe, and Camarigg (eds.) -- Interviews with musicians from Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Mississippi, Texas, and the West Coast.
• The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine by O'Neal and Van Singel (eds.) -- Popular interviews with bluesmen such as Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, and John Lee Hooker.

Lyrics and Meaning

• Barrelhouse Words: A Blues Dialect Dictionary by Calt -- An etymological dictionary of blues slang. If you ever wanted to know what the terms "goofer dust" or "monkey man" mean, this is the book for you.
• Blues Fell This Morning by Oliver -- A classic study, this work attempts to understand blues musicians and to a broader degree, black life and history, through lyrical themes. 
• The Blues Line by Sackheim (ed.) -- Blues as poetry. This anthology presents the lyrics of 270 songs grouped geographically and historically. Includes illustrations. 

Sound Recordings

The DSU Archives holds hundreds of 78 RPM records donated by Steve LaVere. Genres include country, popular music, pre-war blues, post-war blues, and jazz. According to the inventory, this collection includes:

• Labels produced in Mississippi
• Compositions by Mississippi Delta residents
• Music pertaining to the South in general, or to Mississippi or the Delta in particular, its residents or any of its indigenous subject matters
• Music by recording artists from Mississippi or the Delta or named after Mississippi or the Delta or any of its unique attributes.

For more information on these recordings, please contact the DSU Archives at 662-846-4781 or archives@deltastate.edu.

Videos

• The Blues, a Musical Journey  -- A seven-part documentary film series exploring the evolution of the blues.
• M for Mississippi: A Road Trip Through the Birthplace of the Blues -- Provides a snapshot of what the blues looks like today.
• The Search for Robert Johnson -- A sketch of one of the blues most popular and mythical figures - Robert Johnson.
• We Juke Up in Here: Mississippi's Juke Joint Culture at the Crossroads -- Documents the fading authentic juke joint culture. 
• You See Me Laughin': The Last of the Hill Country Bluesmen -- Profiles traditional blues musicians from northern Mississippi who record for Fat Possum Records.

Click the icon below to search our E-Book Collection. 

Click the icons below to read these popular ebooks (you must login with your Delta State Username/Password to view ebooks):

The Blues: A Very Short Introduction by Elijah Wald

Blues Music in the Sixties: A Story in Black and White by Ulrich Adelt

Jim Crow's Counterculture: The Blues and Black Southerners, 1890-1945 by R.A. Lawson