There is no precise moment when the blues started, and different regions developed their own blues styles over time. Although blues styles differed from region to region, one thing was the same in each variation of the blues: the scales and chords were similar. As blues progressed, it was passed down in an aural tradition from player to player (there was no “music conservatory” for the blues). Many players simply learned it from other players. Each style of blues relied heavily on singers, and some of the earliest recorded blues performances were of singers accompanied either by guitar, banjo, or piano.

The ability to travel almost anywhere in the country by railway and the advent of the automobile industry made it easier than ever for people to move between regions, hearing new sounds and bringing their own styles with them. The technology that made recordings possible gave blues the opportunity to reach every corner of America.

There are too many important blues players to mention them all, but some worth checking out are Blind Lemon Jefferson, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, and B.B. King.