"When I listen to old music . . . that's one of the few times I actually have a kind of love for humanity. You hear the best part of the soul of common people, their way of expressing their connection to eternity."
—R. Crumb, quoted in Verso magazine, Fall 2005
BLUES EPITAPHS
Ma Rainey [1886-1939]
"Mother of the Blues"
Blind Lemon Jefferson [1893-1929]
"Lord It's One Kind Favor I'll Ask of You
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean"
Bessie Smith [1894-1937]
"The Greatest Blues Singer
in the World Will Never
Stop Singing"
Son House [1902-88]
"Go away Blues; go away
and leave poor me alone."
Robert Johnson [1911-38]
"Resting in the Blues"
Big Joe Turner [1911-85]
"Boss of the Blues"
Sonny Boy Williamson [1914-48]
"Blues Harmonica Legend"
Memphis Slim [1915-88]
"Ambassador of the Blues"
Hound Dog Taylor [1915-75]
"I'm Wit'cha Baby . . . "
Muddy Waters [1915-83]
"The Mojo is Gone
The Master has Won . . ."
John Lee Hooker [1917-2001]
"King of the Boogie"
Elmore James [1918-63]
"King of the Slide Guitar"
Albert King [1923-92]
"I'll Play the Blues for You"
Jimmy Reed [1925-76]
"The Boss Man of the Blues"
Little Walter Jacobs [1930-68]
"Blues Harp Master"
Junior Kimbrough [1930-98]
"Meet Me in the City"
Otis Spann [1930-70]
"Otis Played the Deepest Blues
We Ever Heard
He'll Play Forever
In our Hearts"
Frank Frost [1936-99]
"World Renowned Harmonica King"
Lonnie Pitchford [1955-98]
"The Delta is My School
And the Blues is My Teacher
It's Still God's Music
It's Just Telling the Truth"
GREAT BLUES NICKNAMES
T-Model Ford • Little Buddy Doyle • Furry Lewis • Blind Boy Fuller • Barrel House Annie • Peg Leg Howell • Blind Lemon Jefferson • Mississippi John Hurt • Howlin’ Wolf • Wild Child Butler • Scrapper Blackwell • Pinetop Perkins • Brownie McGhee • Blind Willie McTell • Little Milton • Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown • Big Bill Broonzy • Blind Blake • Lazy Lester • Sleepy John Estes • Louisiana Red • Lead Belly • Son House • Muddy Waters • Luther “House Rocker” Johnson • Junior Kimbrough • Paul “Wine” Jones • Screamin’ Jay Hawkins • Walter “Shakey” Horton • Little Walter • Ma Rainey • Barbecue Bob Hicks • Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup • Sonny Terry • Sunnyland Slim • Tampa Red • James “Kokomo” Arnold • Johnny Shines • Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson • Walter “Wolfman” Washington • Boogie Bill Webb • Homesick James Williamson • Little Brother Montgomery • Papa Charlie Jackson • Washboard Sam • Bumble Bee Slim • Too Tight Henry • Steady Roll Johnson • Smokey Hogg • H-Bomb Ferguson • Honeyboy Edwards • Blind Willie Johnson • Talking Billy Anderson • T-Bone Walker