Desert Blues
Among many African Americans there was a desire to move away from musical forms such as spirituals, which were identified with slavery days, and yet they also wanted musical styles of their own. A new sound arose in street  and community music of African Americans in the late 19th century. It  was  usually one singer accompanied by a guitar and characterized by “bent” or “blue” notes, not on the standard scale. These notes likely had earlier origins, as they are found in rural African American work songs. Examples are found in field recordings of African American work songs made as the genre was disappearing: This is “ Calling Trains,” by an unknown former railroad worker recorded in 1936 by John Lomax, and “ Cornfield Holler” sung by Abraham Powell recorded in 1939 by John and Ruby Lomax.  The “blue notes” could best be played on instruments that allowed the creation of “blue” notes such as the guitar (especially slide guitar), wind, and brass instruments. The songs expressed a longing, loss, or desire and came to be called “the blues.” The word “blues” already existed in popular song distribution for sad songs and love songs, so many song titles had “blues” in them long before blues music saw print. To provide an idea of what this early blues sounded like, here is Hattie Ellis singing her own composition, “ Desert Blues,” in a field recording by John and Ruby Lomax made in Texas in 1939.