The Blues and Beyond

blues, r&b, soul

The Blues and Beyond engages audiences of all ages with narration, live music and dance, while taking them along on a guided tour through the history of blues and how it has affected American music.

To understand the story of the blues, you need to go back to Africa. Centuries ago, Africans were captured, separated from their families, and chained to the bottom of ships bound for the New World where they were sold at auction to slave traders and plantation owners in the South. Rising from the fields, the enslaved folks’ songs and shouts provided a rhythm for their back-breaking work but also as a means of grieving, reflecting and storytelling.

Gradually, out of the physical, mental and spiritual hardships these Africans endured, the Blues grew into the vibrant musical expression of voices that will never be forgotten. Artists like Charley Patton, the ‘Grandfather of the Blues’ passed down these songs to other musicians, and they spread like wildfire throughout the South.

Music

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