Blackface minstrelsy was the first distinctly American theatrical form. Blackface minstrelsy was the first theatrical form that was distinctly American. Experienced stunt performers equate it in 2018 with blackface minstrelsy. William Henry Lane is considered to be at the forefront of blackface minstrelsy entertainment. It is one of the many legacies and techniques of 19th century blackface minstrelsy. All of the Tom shows appear to have incorporated elements of melodrama and blackface minstrelsy. Blackface, tap-dance, and minstrelsy are common elements to Korine's work. In the United States, the sheet music industry rose in tandem with blackface minstrelsy. These changes made minstrelsy unprofitable for smaller troupes. Their brand of minstrelsy differed from other entertainments only in name. Racism made black minstrelsy a difficult profession. Sharpe contributed ballads to the second volume of Walter Scott's "Border Minstrelsy". Traditional blind minstrelsy by the late 1930s had largely vanished. In content, early black minstrelsy differed little from its white counterpart. White audiences appreciated seeing African-Americans performing other than minstrelsy.