blues history lessons Archives

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 #12 – Blind Blake – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 12, 2020

On Episode 12 of Blues Chronicles, Reverend Jones sheds light on the career of east coast influential figure, Blind Arthur Blake. Not much is known about Blind ...

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 #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 #5: Charlie Patton – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 5, 2020

In Episode 5 of Blues Chronicles, Rev. Robert Jones delves into the legacy of Charley Patton, the father of delta Blues. Patton was, according to Rev. Jones, pr...

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...

Blues Chronicles #3: The Major Pentatonic Scale – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 3, 2020

In Episode 3 of Blues Chronicles, Reverend Robert Jones goes over the major pentatonic scale, how abundant it is in popular music, and some prominent figures th...

Blues Chronicles #2: The Minor Pentatonic Scale – Guitar History Lesson – Reverend Robert Jones

June 1, 2020

In Episode 2 Blues Chronicles, Rev. Robert Jones talks about the Pentatonic Scale, and its importance in connecting musical ideas, but also how it connects us s...

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