It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the blues began, especially because the origins of the blues are poorly documented. The style also evolved over a long period and existed close to its modern form before the term "blues" was coined and before the style was fully documented. However, there are few characteristics present in every blues, mainly because individual uniqueness during a performance is very prevalent. Some characteristics were present before the creation of modern blues and are common to most styles of African-American music. The blues we talked about is centuries-old folk music created by African Americans in the early 20th century, originally in the South. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe blues took off in the Southern United States after the American Civil War (1861–1865). It was influenced by and was largely performed by Southern black men, most of whom came from the background of farm workers, laborers, and the shouts and "whoops" of slaves. An important reason why there is a lack of knowledge about the origins of the blues is that early blues musicians had a tendency to wander through communities, leaving little or no trace of the type of music they played or where it came from. Furthermore, blues was generally considered lower-class music, unsuitable for documentation, study, or enjoyment by the upper-middle classes. The earliest references to the blues that we know of date back to the 1890s and early 1900s. Rural blues developed in three main regions, Georgia and the Carolinas, Texas, and Mississippi. The blues could be traced back to the northwestern Mississippi Delta in the late 1800s. With the Great Migration of black workers, it was initially a folk music popular among former slaves living in the Mississippi Delta, but began to spread to the South and the rest of the United States. Georgia and Carolina blues are known for clarity of enunciation and regularity of rhythm. Influenced by ragtime and white folk music, it is more melodic than the Texas and Mississippi styles. Blind Willie McTell and Blind Boy Fuller were representatives of this style. Texas blues is characterized by clear, vocal singing accompanied by the guitar. Blind Lemon Jefferson was by far the most influential Texas bluesman. Mississippi Delta blues is the most intense of the three styles and has been the most influential. Vocally, it is the most similar to speech and the guitar accompaniment is rhythmic and percussive where a slide or bottleneck is often used. The Mississippi style is represented by, among others, Charley Patton, Eddie “Son” House and Robert Johnson. The first blues recordings were made in the 1920s by black women such as Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, and Bessie Smith. These artists were primarily singers accompanied by jazz bands, and this style is otherwise known as classical jazz. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Also Get a Custom Essay The Great Depression and World Wars caused the geographic dispersal of the blues as millions of blacks left the South for Northern cities. The blues has adapted to the more sophisticated urban environment. The lyrics took up urban themes and the blues ensemble developed when the solo bluesman was joined by a pianist or harmonica player and then a rhythm section made up of bass and drums. The electric guitar and amplified harmonica created a driving sound of great rhythmic and emotional intensity. Among the cities where the blues initially took root were '30.