Memphis blues
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"Memphis Blues" is the title of a tune and song published by W.C. Handy in 1912. It is not the first blues published, but was an important early blues influenced hit. Handy based it on his earlier campaign song, "Mr. Crump Don't Like It."
The Memphis blues is a type of blues music that was pioneering in the early part of the 20th century by musicians like Sleepy John Estes and Willie Nix, associated with vaudeville and medicine shows. It was in the Memphis blues that groups of musicians first assigned one guitarist to play rhythm, and one to play lead and solos -- this has become standard in rock and roll and much of popular music. In addition, the jug band arose from the Memphis blues, mixing the sound with jazz and using homemade, simple instruments. The Memphis blues is strongly associated with Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.
After World War II, the Memphis blues became electric, thus helping to give rise to rock and roll.
| Blues | Blues genres |
| Classic female blues - Country blues - Delta blues - Jazz blues - Jump blues - Piano blues |
| Blues-rock - Soul blues |
| African blues - British blues - Chicago blues - Detroit blues - Kansas City blues - Louisiana blues - Memphis blues - Piedmont blues - St. Louis blues - Swamp blues - Texas blues - West Coast blues |
| Musicians |
| Styles of American folk music |
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| Appalachian | Blues (Ragtime) | Cajun and Creole (Zydeco) | Country (Honky tonk and Bluegrass) | Jazz | Native American | Spirituals and Gospel | Tejano |