Episode #3.7 - I Got the Blues

According to many textbooks, the blues is a genre that was born in the rural Mississippi Delta, with roots in the “sorrow songs” of enslaved people. It’s easy, however, to poke holes in this origin story and instead start to see the blues as a joyful, rebellious musical expression that formed in an urban environment. In this episode of Folk Files, we’ll take a look at different theories about the origin of the blues, separate fact from fiction, and uncover the reason why the Mississippi Delta narrative was promoted so strongly. (Note: episode has occasional explicit language and sexual references).

For a list of all musical excerpts used in this episode, click here: https://folkfilespodcast.com/episodes/season-3/episode-3-7/

Host: Olivia Harding

Chris Thomas King’s The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture: https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/the-blues-products-9780897336482.php

Visit the Delta Blues Museum: https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/

Support Folk Files by joining the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast

Assistant Producer: Aaron J. Morton

Folk Files is a member of the Bluegrass Situation. Learn more about BGS here: https://thebluegrasssituation.com/

Interested in sponsoring Folk Files? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods