Published on The New Territory's Patreon account as a promo for the magazine's 19th Issue, which features a story on the Dusk 'til Dawn Blues Festival in Rentiesville, Oklahoma.
Traditionally, blues music is characterized by flattened notes, walking basslines, call and response, and improvisation. Many of these techniques were used in traditional African music or the music that came from the Deep South on farms and plantations, which is where the seeds of the blues genre were sown. Just like the color itself has many shades, there are many types of ways to sing the blues, making it a vast and deeply personal genre.
From Robert Johnson, the grandfather of Delta blues, to the blues-inspired rocking of The Rolling Stones, to even the modern masterpiece that is The Alabama Shakes, there is one thing that we are certain of: blues is alive and breathing. We encourage you to find it in your communities and open up your ears (and your heart) to what the music has to say. This playlist will get you started.
Delta Blues: The beginnings of blues music, originating throughout the Mississippi Delta in the 1920s. Early blues music is raw and gritty, often stripped down to only a few instruments.
A Spoonful Blues by Charley Patton (1930)
Last Kind Word Blues by Geeshie Wiley (1930)
Love In Vain by Robert Johnson (1939)
Death Letter Blues by Son House (1965)
Urban/Electric Blues: When blues started to trickle up north and create pockets in larger cities, with the notable addition of the electric guitar.
(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters (1954)
Spoonful by Howlin’ Wolf (1962)
Killer Diller Blues by Memphis Minnie (1947)
Hold That Plane! by Buddy Guy (1972)
Blues from the Midwest: Our picks of historical musicians straight from the NT’s focus area, including Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. Cities such as St.Louis, Kansas City, and Omaha were known for their thriving blues scene in the mid 20th century.
Didn’t It Rain by Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1948)
The Blues Don’t Change by Albert King (1974)
Bad Loser by Jimmy Rushing (1967)
Drinkin’ Sherry Wine by Wynonie Harries (1955)
Inspired by the Blues: Did you know that a lot of the rock music we know and love is directly inspired by the blues? See if you can spot which characteristics align with the typical blues sound.
Help Me by Canned Heat (1967)
You Got the Silver by The Rolling Stones (1969)
Me & Mr. Jones by Amy Winehouse (2006)
This Feeling by the Alabama Shakes (2015)
Turns of Blue: There are still plenty of local acts continuing the legacy of the blues. In Issue 19, we feature a few artists who performed at the Dusk Til Dawn Blues Festival in Oklahoma. Although they may not all be on streaming services, this is your incentive to go out into your world and listen to these acts live!
Heart of Stone by Roger Hurricane Wilson (1994)
It’s Raining by Randy "19th Street Red" Cohen (2005)
We Need Money by Selby Minner Allstar Band (2012)
The jams of Wanda Sunset Macomb, Bo Walker, Jasper Walker, John Brown, and Bear (this recording from last year’s festival, 2025)
Thank you for reading! You can find this playlist on our YouTube channel here.
And don't forget, as a Patreon member, you get 10-25% off everything in our shop! This includes gift copies, subscriptions, merch — truly everything! Grab your code on your Patreon membership page under "Quick Links" and apply it at checkout. (Please email Tina.Casagrand@gmail.com if you run into any issues.)
Happy listening, from all of us at the New Territory.
— Ever Cole, 2026 New Territory Design and Community Engagement Intern
