The Real Rhythm and Blues

Mose Allison, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Tina Turner, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker: these and other rhythm and blues artists created the style, the riffs, and the attitude that rock 'n' rollers just couldn't resist. But what exactly is R&B, and how does it differ from the blues, or from soul? Go back to the roots of this powerfully influential music, and see how it synthesized gospel, blues, and jazz to create a brand-new sound; how stage showmanship became crucial to its success; and how it crossed over from an exclusively black to an integrated audience. You'll meet early artists, such as Mamie Smith and Louis Jordan, who paved the way for R&B, and look into the important role played by radio disk jockeys, as well as the independent labels that recorded these musicians. Take a tour through R&B styles--the vocal groups, shouters and screamers, guitar men, "divas," and avatars of soul. And finally, rejoice in R&B resurgent, as musicians like Robert Cray made sure the style would never die. 240 pages, 35 b/w illus., 6 x 9 1/4.