The Birth of the Blues Trivia Quiz

Answer: W.C. Handy

Handy was born in 1873 and wrote "Memphis Blues" in 1912. Some of his other notable compositions were "St. Louis Blues", "Beale St. Blues" and "Yellow Dog Blues". He was noted more as a composer rather than as a performer but eye problems more or less forced his retirement in both areas in the late 1930's. He died in 1958. Joplin, of course, was known for his "ragtime" music.

Answer: Mamie Smith

Mamie was more of a jazz singer than a traditional blues artist. It is reported that Tucker was originally slated to record the song, was unable to make the session and Smith filled in, a fortuitous circumstance that made her a wealthy woman. The record sold over a million copies in just six months and because of it's remarkable success, the way was paved for other artists such as Bessie Smith to get into the recording studio.

Answer: she virtually saved Columbia Records from bankruptcy.

Columbia was on the verge of collapse at the time. Victor had been the juggernaut label of the day and Smith's successful recordings gave the moribund Columbia label new life. Regarding the other answers, very few records were million sellers then... even "Down Hearted Blues" only sold 750,000 copies in 1923. Columbia may have owed her a debt of gratitude but business would be business.

Her contract was, as usual, renewed on a year to year basis and when her records stopped selling, she was released from the label in 1931.

Answer: Blind Bill Broonzy

McTell, Blake and Fuller were indeed all blind and sang in the "Piedmont Blues" style popular in Georgia and the deep Southeast. Bill Broonzy, however, was a "Chicago Blues" performer and was not blind at all. Instead, his nickname was "Big", for he was... both physically and in the musical sense.

He toured extensively in Great Britain in the early 1950's when he was over fifty years old himself and developed a cult following. Muddy Waters followed him there a few years later also sowing the seeds of "the blues".

The result? John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Cream, etc.

Answer: Manish Boy

"Manish Boy" was a Muddy Waters original. Johnson died at the age of 27 in 1938 and although his body of work which has survived to this time is limited indeed, the legend continues to grow.

Answer: Blind Lemon Jefferson

Blind Lemon Jefferson (1897-1929) is considered a "Texas Bluesman", having been born there and spending most of his life in Galveston. The "Father of the Delta Blues" is deemed to be Patton (1887-1934). Almost everyone who came out of Mississippi in the early years, Robert Johnson included, learned at the foot of Patton or his protegé's. Son House and Tommy Johnson were the big names in "Delta Blues" during the late 1920's and early 1930's, essentially just after Patton's hay day and before Johnson's.

Answer: Strange Fruit

"Strange Fruit" was recorded in 1939 and although it only achieved a #16 ranking on the charts of the day, it was an extraordinally powerful song, especially the way she sang it. Throughout the song, the "fruit" hanging from the tree is a metaphor for black men after a lynching.

Answer: Minneapolis

Memphis, beyond being mentioned in the first written blues song, was, with Chicago, the place where blues men congregated in the early years to play the clubs and record in studios. B.B.King, Howlin' Wolf and Little Milton were among the famous artists who are identified with the Memphis sound.

The West Coast stream primarily consisted of Texas blues artists who found their way west, stayed and created a slightly more mellow blues sound than found in Texas. T. Bone Walker is deemed to be the "father" of the West Coast style. Louisiana Blues is something of a mish mash of piano music(a la Professor Longhair), guitar, and traditional zydeco and cajun music... a very distinct blues style indeed. Minneapolis? There doubtlessly is a "blues" scene there but I think "the blues" would be more associated with the color of the resident's faces during -40 degree winter days!

Answer: Trumpet

The trumpet is mostly an orchestral, jazz or military instrument. It has no roots in traditional blues music.

Answer: Hillbilly Music

Griots were musicians and traditional storytellers in West Africa. Griots and blues singers could be considered "cousins" in some respects. The influences of "hollers" and Gospel music seem obvious. Meanwhile, hillbilly music would be one of the roots of today's country music.