Charley Patton and the birth of the blues

The blues emerged sometime in the late 19th century, before the age of recorded music, and before any detailed written record of the music sung in the black communities in Mississippi and the surrounding states. This talk will trace the tale of how the blues found its way onto record, and the emergence of Charley Patton, one of the most idiosyncratic and yet influential figures in the development of the blues.

With slides and recorded examples, Matthew Zuckerman will explore the music’s early history, from WC Handy and Bessie Smith to Patton, Son House and beyond, and how a furniture store owner from Jackson, Mississippi shaped the history of the blues.