black history Archives

Blues Chronicles #16: Mississippi John Hurt – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 16, 2020

On Episode 16 of Blues Chronicles, we learn about an important figure in Rev. Robert Jones' music career: Mississippi John Hurt. According to Rev. Jones, the fi...

Blues Chronicles #15: Lonnie Johnson – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 15, 2020

On Episode 15 of Blues Chronicles, we learn about one of the co-founders of jazz guitar, Lonnie Johnson. Raised in a musical family, Johnson could play piano, v...

Blues Chronicles #14: Big Bill Broonzy – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 14, 2020

On Episode 14 of Blues Chronicles, we discuss one of the first bluesmen to arrive in Chicago, Big Bill Broonzy. Originally a fiddler, Broonzy learned guitar fro...

Blues Chronicles #11: Skip James – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 11, 2020

In Episode 11 of Blues Chronicles, Reverend Robert Jones tells us about Skip James, who learned to play the guitar in an unusual D minor tuning. In his early da...

Blues Chronicles #10: Huddie Ledbetter – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 10, 2020

On Episode 10 of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Jones covers another key figure, King of the 12-String guitar, Huddie Ledbetter. Also known as "Lead Belly," Huddie Ledb...

Blues Chronicles #9 – Son House – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 9, 2020

On Episode 9 of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Jones touches on one of the greatest blues performers to ever come out of the Mississippi delta, Son House. Though many b...

Blues Chronicles #8: What Are the Roots of the Blues? – Guitar History Lesson – Rev. Jones

June 8, 2020

In Episode 8 of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Jones covers the probable roots of the Blues, itself. Blues was like born from the song traditions formed by African slav...

Blues Chronicles #7: Rev. Robert Wilkins – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 7, 2020

In Episode 7 of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Robert Jones talks about Rev. Robert Wilkins, another prominent figure in Blues history. Rev. Wilkins was the author of t...

Blues Chronicles #6: Do I Have A Right To Sing the Blues? – Guitar History Lesson – Rev. Robert Jones

June 6, 2020

On Episode 6 of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Robert Jones addresses a frequently asked question he gets about singing music written by and about African Americans. ...

Blues Chronicles #4: Blind Willie Johnson – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 4, 2020

On this fourth episode of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Robert Jones talk about another important figure in blues history: Blind Willie Johnson. Johnson used a a techn...

black history