Before the Blues: From Africa to the United States
To trace the roots of blues music, we must go back several centuries to 1619, when one of the most well-known ships carrying enslaved people from Africa landed in Jamestown. Away from their homeland and their families, these people maintained important elements of their cultural heritage—blending them with traditions they encountered in the "New World." Over time, new sounds and musical styles emerged, which pulled heavily from West African music aesthetics and were tied to the everyday experiences of its creators and performers. In this lesson, students will actively engage with two of these early precursors to the blues: field hollers and ring shouts.
Lesson Paths & Learning Objectives
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West African Connections to the Blues
- Identify musical and stylistic characteristics of the blues that can be traced to West African music traditions.
- Approx. 30 minutes
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- Identify and demonstrate some of the main features of ring shouts (a precursor to the blues).
- Describe connections between ring shouts, West African music traditions, and the blues.
- Approx. 30 minutes
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Before the Blues: Field Hollers
- Identify and demonstrate some of the main features of field hollers (a precursor to the blues).
- Describe connections between field hollers, West African music traditions, and the blues.
- Approx. 30 minutes
Bibliography
Text
Allen, William Francis, Charles Pickard Ware and Lucy McKim Garrison, eds. 1995 [1867]. Slave Songs of the United States. New York City, NY: Dover Publications.
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Audio*
Smith, Bessie. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Eddie Green, composer. On The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3, recorded 1927. New York City, NY: Columbia Records, C2K 47474, 1992, streaming audio. Streaming audio remastered from original 78 rpm Columbia – 14250-D by Sony Music Entertainment.
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Jackson, John. "Steamboat whistle." On Country Blues and Ditties, recorded 1968. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00471_109, 1999, streaming audio.
Professional male Wolof entertainer. "Ndei Kumba (‘Mother Petticoat’)." David Ames, recorder. On Wolof Music of Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04462_202, 1955, streaming audio.
Three Lunsi drummers in Accra. "Harvest Songs – Rhythm While the Priest Pours Libations." Verna Gillis, recorder. On Music of the Dagomba from Ghana. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04324_102, 1978, streaming audio.
Wieh, Jon. "Bassa Musical Bow." Packard L. Okie, recorder. On Folk Music of Liberia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04465_104, 1954, streaming audio.
Two professional Wolof entertainers. "Tara (Traditional Song)." David Ames, recorder. On Wolof Music of Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04462_105, 1955, streaming audio.
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Video*
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. McIntosh Country Shouters - "Spirituals and Shout Songs" [Behind The Scenes Documentary]. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017. Video. Posted by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. McIntosh Country Shouters - "Jubilee" [Behind The Scenes Documentary]. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017. Video. Posted by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Images*
Bearden, Romare. Empress of the Blues, 1974, acrylic and pencil on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum. Museum purchase in part through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment.
Wilson, Ellis. Field Workers, ca. 1948-1951, oil on fiberboard: Masonite. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 29 3/4 x 34 7/8 in. (75.5 x 88.6 cm.). Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation.
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Wangboje, Solomon Irein. The Music Maker - Mood V, 1965, linocut on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, 36.2 x 29.8 cm (14 1/4 x 11 3/4 in.). Gift of Amb. and Mrs. Benjamin Hill Brown Jr.
Currier & Ives. Slave-Trade, after 1863, lithograph. In Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection. Washington, DC: National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, 17 x 23 5/8 in. (43.18 x 60 cm.). Based on an 1840 painting by Auguste-Francois Baird.
Maultsby, Portia K. "The Evolution of African American Music," 1980, digital image. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. ©1980 Portia K. Maultsby, PhD. Revised 1992, 1995, 2004, 2008, 2020, 2022, 2023. All Rights Reserved. Adapted for Smithsonian Music Pathways by Kamaryn Truong.
Nalangan, Danielle. "State Drawings," 2023, digital graphic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Fitzgerald, Peter. "West Africa Regions Map," 2008, digital image.
Ames, David. "Wolof Naming Ceremony," photograph. In Wolof Music from Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1955, p. 2.
Gillis, Verna. "Doalga Drum in Village of Nanton," photograph. In Music of the Dagomba in Ghana. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1978, p. 1.
Unknown photographer. "Musician Playing a Musical Bow," ca. 1939, photograph. In African music, Laura C. Boulton, recorder. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1957, p. 9. Photos courtesy of the Field Museum of Natural History.
Ames, David. "Gewel Playing Halam," photograph. In Wolof Music of Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1955, p. 4.
Visual Dialogue. Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast. by the McIntosh County Shouters. Daniel Sheehy, photographer. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017, album cover.
Rosembaum, Margo Newmark. "The McIntosh County Shouters performing the ring shout in the Bolden Home Lodge," 2015, photograph. In Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017, p. 4.
Rosembaum, Margo Newmark. ""Watch That Star"--The McIntosh County Shouters at the 1981 National Folk Festival, Wolf Trap Farm, Virginia," photograph. In Slave Shout Songs from the Coast of Georgia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1984, p. 1.
Nalangan, Danielle. "Illustration of Ear," 2023, digital graphic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Rosembaum, Margo Newmark. "McIntosh County Shouters 1994," photograph. In Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017, p. 13.
Benton, Thomas Hart. Field Workers (Cotton Pickers), 1945, oil on canvas. Washington, DC: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, 8 3/4 x 13 1/2 in. (22.2 x 34.3 cm). Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1966.
Courlander, Harold. "Annie Grace Horn Dodson," 1955, photograph. In Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 6: Ring Game Songs and Others. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, p. 7.
Mauzey, Merritt. Cotton Pickers, n.d., lithograph on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 12 5/8 x 14 1/4 in. (32.1 x 36.4 cm). Gift of the artist in memory of his wife, Maggie.
Anderson, Henry Clay. "Photo of Workers in the Field on Drew Plantation," 1948 - 1970s, silver and photographic gelatin on acetate film. Washington, DC: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.
Nalangan, Danielle. "LP Illustration," 2023, digital graphic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Möller, A. W. "No. 44, Weighing Cotton," ca. 1895, albumen and silver on paper mounted on cardboard. Washington, DC: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman and Sandra Lindley.
* Audio, video, and images listed in order of slideshow sequence.