Roots Blues
tagStarted 1910sPeak 1928–1965Last big hit still activeFrom United States
Located in 2 routes
Roots blues is the broad acoustic-to-early-electric lane that still sounds close to the rural source: guitar-led arrangements, open rhythmic feel, compact harmonic forms, and vocals with enough room for speech rhythm and personal timing.
History
The term is often used retrospectively for blues that feel tied to foundational regional and vernacular practice rather than later urban codification.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Britannica
- Library of Congress
- Smithsonian Folkways
- regional blues sources. citeturn1search5turn9search2turn3search2