What are some good blues songs i should check out?

i don't know much about blues but i'd like to find out more.

"Jelly, Jelly" by Josh White (and then everything else by Josh White)

"Gone But Not Forgotten" by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee

and although it's not really traditional, Led Zeppelin had an amazing take on the blues -- check their versions of "When The Levee Breaks," "Travellin' Riverside Blues," and "In My Time of Dying"

100 Greatest Blues Songs

"Blues Medley" by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Prison Blues by Jimmy Page
or early Led Zeppelin

Try an old school artist by the name of Betty Wright. She sang a hit blues song called "Tonight is the Night". It is about the very first time she had sex. It is one of the greatest blues songs of all time.

Obviously any Muddy Waters or B B King songs are great. Koko Taylor is up there too. As for newer ones, Bob Dillon's new CD has alot of good blues tunes on it.

take me to the lectric chair bessie smith

robert johnson, muddy waters, howlin' wolf, john lee hooker, R.L. Burnside, North Mississippi Allstars, Hot Tuna

check out an old black dude named Elmore James--he is way beyond cool---the song shake your money maker by the black crows is actually a knock off of a song he did in the 50's

Anything by Magic Sam

"When the Levee Breaks - Kansas City Joe & Memphis Minnie - 1929

"Nobody's Fault But Mine" - Blind Willie Johnson

"In My Time of Dying" (Jesus Gonna Make up my Dying Bed) - Blind WIllie Johnson

"You Need Love" - Muddy Waters - 1962

"You Shook Me" - Willie Dixon

"Traveling Riverside Blues" - Robert Johnson

"Cocaine" - Dick Justice - 1929

And especially "Crazy Blues" by Mamie Smith - 1920

Check out some Son House, Blind Willie McTell, Robert Johnson, and Howlin' Wolf to get you started

Crossroads Blues, Steady Rollin Man - Robert Johnson
Little Brother Blues - Joshua White
Walk On - Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee
Bring Me My Shotgun - Sam Lightnin' Hopkins
I'm Too Young To Die - Sonny Boy Williamson
Got My Mojo Workin - Muddy Waters
My Babe - Little Walter
How Many More Years?, Backdoor Man, Smokestack Lightnin' - Howlin' Wolf

A good idea would be the PBS program on the blues. Putting the music, faces and times these musicians lived in will help you.
Martin Scorsese's "The Blues: A Musical Journey" will be a great start.

"When the Levee Breaks" and "You Need Love" - check out the Led Zeppelin renditions of them after you hear the originals (if you haven't already heard Zeppelin's renditions).

BB King - The Thrill Is Gone
John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom
Jimi Hendrix - Red House
RL Burnside - Hard Time Killing Floor

you are going to LOVE this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAxLgGVRV...
enjoy

do you think you would like straight blues one old dude in a chair playing accoustic guitar (blind lemon )

or maybe chicago blues (Blues Brothers Muddy Waters or Albert King).

Maybe rhythm and blues like (Sam Cooke and early 70's Rod Stewart awesome stuff "born loose" and "the ball trap")

or blues mixed with other forms like jazz (Ray Charles )

or rock (Black Crowes and led ZEP )

or country? (CCR )

Find the Allman Brothers version of "Stormy Monday" from the "Live at Filmore East" album. It will blow you away. Actually they recorded lots of blues songs where they "borrowed" the stylings of Elmore James, T-Bone Walker and
Willie Dixon, to name a few.

The Sky is Crying -Elmore James
This song always gets me.


(Also check out an artist named Lightning Hopkins. He has a raw old school sound.)

if you want someone who sings with every cell of their being

janis joplin.