Born from the spirituals, work songs, and field hollers of African American communities in the Deep South, blues music gave ...

Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson is best known as a sideman to Magic Sam and Muddy Waters, but he could tear up a stage all by ...

Matt “Guitar” Murphy, best known as a member of the Blues Brothers band, has died at 88, his nephew confirmed in a Facebook statement. He’d semi-retired in the mid ‘00s after suffering a stroke. Born ...

Leon Russell is an American National Treasure. He should be protected at all costs. Leon Russell entered my consciousness when I saw the movie and later purchased the soundtrack for Joe Cocker's Mad ...

Since 2005 Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) has used the Secret History of Chicago Music to shine a light on worthy artists with Chicago ties who’ve been forgotten, underrated, or never noticed in ...

Why it matters: Blues guitar blends emotional storytelling with technical skill, making it one of the most expressive genres to play. Core building blocks: Dominant 7 chords, pentatonic scales, and ...

A classic Chicago blues-style shuffle. Use your first finger on the 2nd fret and add your third or fourth finger on the higher notes. Muddy Waters’ riffs were often played around the open E shape but ...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. "Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": ...

Blues is so much a part of the fabric of American music and American culture — not only as a defined musical form, but also as a springboard for all kinds of creativity — that it seems crazy to try to ...

Pairing harmonica with guitar can unlock a richer, more soulful blues sound. From classic 12-bar shuffles to expressive bends, the combination offers endless creative possibilities. With the right ...

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