What is a good book on the history and musicians of the blues?Dan the Man listed two books I would also suggest. Deep Blues has MANY factual errors, but Robert is such an engaging writer, I don't mind. Alan Lomax's book has fewer inaccuracies, but I almost hate to buy anything he's associated with (although I have a great deal). He and his father "collected" songs and made recordings on the taxpayers dime and managed to claim writers credit for numerous songs that they had absolutely NOTHING to do with.
Another book that I refer to regularly is Sheldon Harris' Blues Who's Who. It is basically a blues encyclopedia with hundreds of entries listing biographical info, songs, recordings, musical associates, etc. I don't know if it is still in print, but I've seen copies on eBay many times, as well as Amazon.
There are many other books with a more limited scope. If you are interested on a particular style (Chicago, Piedmont, West Coast, Delta, City Blues, etc,) let me know and I can point you towards other titles.
Corrosions' suggestion is another fine book. I'm on my third copy because those I've loaned it to liked it well enough to "forget" to return it. Martin would know MUCH better than I ...
I don't know ONE book to cover it, but I start it off with "Blues: an Anthology" first published in 1926 and edited by WC Handy.
Good source for EARLY blues tunes and their development. I have read and very much enjoyed:
Deep Blues by Robert Palmer and
The Land Where the Blues Began by Alan Lomax
Both authors did extensive research and offer a lot of insight into the history of blues. There are several other great books along these lines, but these are the only 2 I've read up to this point.
Enjoy the digging!! Both answerers above me beat me to it!
So, if I may add, "The Blues" by LeRoi Jones, a different perspective by a poet but very moving. "Chasin' That Devil Music" (Includes a CD with 19 Rare Blues Songs). Gayle Dean Wardlow.
ISBN 0-87930-552-5
"Blues Fell This Morning"- Paul Oliver
ISBN 0-521-47738-7
"Nothing But the Blues" -Lawrence Cohn
ISBN 1-55859-271-7
Two of my personal favorites are:
"Blues With A Feeling" (The Story of Little Walter)
Glover, Dirks and Gaines
ISBN 0-415-93711-6
"Chicago Blues" (This is one of the best books ever written about the city which some consider to be the blues capitol of the world.) - Mike Rowe
ISBN 0-306-80145-0 The companion book of the PBS series The Blues is good. I would like to recommend "Can't Be Satisfied, The Life and Times of Muddy Waters", by Robert Gordon, because Muddy is, was and will always be the king of the blues. The BLUES BIBLE .
It is a big Blue book with over 300 songs and a brief history on the song , Like the name of the person who wrote it and when, where and why it was written .
It is a must have for any Blues musician worth his or her weight in gold . and A must have for any loyal Blues fan
"KEEP IT LIVE "
Satan Handy The Story of the Blues by Paul Oliver.You won't get much better than this.....sgd | 