Blues Music?

I'm starting to get into blues and the harmonica...any particular artists I should listen to?(I'm new to blues.)

Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson (II) and Jr. Wells. That's all you need to know about blues harp, you're on your own from there on in!

Howlin' Wolf
Muddy Waters
John Lee Hooker
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Bo Diddley
Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Ok, well, it all depends on what you want to listen to. If you are looking for any blues then the key ones are:
- Robert Johnson - first bluesman
- Muddy Waters
- Howlin Wolf
- BB King
- Buddy Guy
- Lightnin' Hopkins
- Ledbelly
- Bo Diddley
- Sonny Boy Williams I and II
- Janis Joplin - Vocals
- Jimi Hendrix
- Cream
- Clapton
- Yardbirds
- Led Zeppelin - especially songs from Zeppelin II
- SRV
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd
- Jerry Doucette
- Derek Trucks
- Jonny Lang
- The Animals
There are a ton of blues musicians out there.
However, if you want harp players then look for:
- Sonny Boy Williamson
- James Cotton
- Junior Wells - Played with Buddy and if I remember right Muddy Waters
- Howlin Wolf
- Charlie Musselwhite
- Paul Butterfield
- John Mayall
- Big Mama Thornton
- Sonny Terry - best stuff is with Brownie McGhee
- Little Walter
- Mick Jagger
- Steven Tyler
- Hammie Nixon

I hope that gives a good starting list. If you have anymore questions jsut let me know.

John Lee Hooker
Buddy Guy
John Hammond
Van Morrison
Bonnie Raitt
Jonny Lang
Stevie Ray Vaughn

Watermelon Slim

any list of blues harp players you should listen to have to include Both Walters -Big Walter and Little Walter(Both played in Muddy Waters' bands),Sonny Boy Williamson,James Cotton,Junior Wells,Paul Butterfield and Sugar Blue.

Elmore James & the Broomdusters. Little Walter. Lowell Fulson. A.C. Reid and the sparkplugs. Johnny Winter for guitar.

BB King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Lightning Hoptkins, Robert Johnson, Son House, Leadbelly

Great Blues Harp Players

Sonny Boy Williamson #1 (John Lee Williamson)
Sonny Boy #2 (Aleck "Rice" Miller)
Big Walter (Walter Horton)
Little Walter (Marion Jacobs)
Freeman Stowers
Jaybird Coleman
Jazz Gillum
Sonny Terry (w/Brownie Mc Ghee)
Hammie Nixon (w/Sleepy John Estes)
Will Shade AKA Son Brimmer (w/Memphis Jug Band)
Rod Piazza (w/Mighty Flyers)
Tom Ball (w/Kenny Sultan)
John Sebastian (w/Lovin' Spoonful)
John Hammond
Rick Estrin (w/Little Charlie & the Nightcats)
Alan Wilson (w/Canned Heat)
Kim Wilson (w/Fabulous Thunderbirds)
Gary Primich
Mark DuFresne (w/Roomful of Blues)

That ought to get you started!

If you have any questions...email me.

GOOD LUCK :)

P.S. Not trying to offend anyone, but I see Robert Johnson mentioned on this forum all the time as either founder of the blues, or founder of delta blues. He is neither. Charley Patton, Son House, Tommy Johnson, to name a few, all predate Robert Johnson.

Eric Clapton is a great starting point if your listening to blues, because if you listen to rock n' roll he's puts alot of blues elements, to the point of it almost being blues, into his music. The two best blues artists of all time in my opinion are B.B. King and Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson pretty much invented the delta blues and is THE most important blues artist of all time. Plus, he's not just one of the most important, he one of the best. B.B. King is also heavily regarded. He has a very unique style and brings so much feel and energy into his music (which is what blues is really all about). Other artists off mention are the other two kings of blues (Freddy King and Albert King), Bo Diddley, Son House, Muddy Waters, Johnny Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaughn (very similar to Clapton's style) and Howlin' Wolf (a bit overrated in my opinion, but very good nevertheless).

Listen to the bishop perry tillis. or john lee hooker, or fcuk it just get all the muddy waters, howlin wolf and bo diddley out of the way and check out the super super blues band.