According to Amanda Petrusich's ISM, the "Delta blues is a strand of regional American folk music performed on a guitar, with the occasional help of a knife or bottleneck slide," (64). The Delta blues was developed in the early 18- or 1900s in the Mississippi Delta where many African Americans were working in large cotton fields for white businessmen. They did this for many reasons, typically for a place to stay and a little profit from the harvest. Segregation and racism affected the lives of many African Americans, so they did not always have a nice place to stay and/or receive much profit for their hard work. The Delta blues was not about the music itself, but also of one's feelings. According to Petrusich's novel, emotions towards it was like "a swirling mixture of fear, despair, fury, heartache, extreme restlessness, freely ranging sexual desire, and a stubborn determination to persist against all odds and sing the bittersweet song of that persistence" (63-64). In other words, this type of music let out their emotions and helped them fight through the hard times.
The Delta blues has resulted in many influential musicians who have changed Americana music. Robert Johnson is a fine example because he "embodied--maybe even invented--the archetype of the wandering, lonesome bluesman, a perpertually troubled troubadour requiring only a guitar and a bottle" (67). Even today, a bluesman may possibly possess that same kind of personality, making them appear lonely, troubled and overall mysterious.
Vanassa Patthana
ReplyDeleteAccording to Amanda Petrusich's ISM, the "Delta blues is a strand of regional American folk music performed on a guitar, with the occasional help of a knife or bottleneck slide," (64). The Delta blues was developed in the early 18- or 1900s in the Mississippi Delta where many African Americans were working in large cotton fields for white businessmen. They did this for many reasons, typically for a place to stay and a little profit from the harvest. Segregation and racism affected the lives of many African Americans, so they did not always have a nice place to stay and/or receive much profit for their hard work. The Delta blues was not about the music itself, but also of one's feelings. According to Petrusich's novel, emotions towards it was like "a swirling mixture of fear, despair, fury, heartache, extreme restlessness, freely ranging sexual desire, and a stubborn determination to persist against all odds and sing the bittersweet song of that persistence" (63-64). In other words, this type of music let out their emotions and helped them fight through the hard times.
The Delta blues has resulted in many influential musicians who have changed Americana music. Robert Johnson is a fine example because he "embodied--maybe even invented--the archetype of the wandering, lonesome bluesman, a perpertually troubled troubadour requiring only a guitar and a bottle" (67). Even today, a bluesman may possibly possess that same kind of personality, making them appear lonely, troubled and overall mysterious.
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