Blues Quiz C-017

Albert King (1923–1992) played a right-handed Gibson Flying V upside down as a left-hander, meaning he pulled the strings downward for his bends instead of pushing them up. This gave him his signature powerful, vocal-like string bending style that directly influenced Stevie Ray Vaughan, who called Albert 'the master.' His 1967 album 'Born Under a Bad Sign' is a cornerstone of modern blues.

Chess Records, founded by Polish-American brothers Leonard and Phil Chess in 1950, was headquartered at 2120 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago. It was home to Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Etta James, and Chuck Berry. The Rolling Stones made a pilgrimage there in 1964 and recorded '2120 South Michigan Avenue' as a tribute.

Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954–1990) died in a helicopter crash at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin on August 27, 1990, just hours after performing alongside Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and Robert Cray. He was 35 years old and had just overcome addiction. His album 'Texas Flood' (1983) is considered one of the greatest blues albums ever recorded.

That powerful, growling voice belongs to Howlin' Wolf performing 'Smokestack Lightning' – one of the most distinctive vocal styles in all of blues.

Little Walter revolutionized blues harmonica by mastering 'cross harp' (2nd position) – playing a harmonica in a different key than it's tuned to, which allows for more expressive bending and blue notes. Combined with his innovation of amplifying the harmonica through a cupped microphone, he created a sound so powerful that the harmonica became a lead instrument rivaling the guitar.

'The Thrill Is Gone' was written by Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell and first recorded by Hawkins in 1951 for Modern Records. B.B. King's iconic 1969 version, recorded at the Hit Factory in New York with lush string arrangements by Bert de Coteaux, reached #3 on the R&B charts and won a Grammy. It became the most recognizable blues song in the world.

Shemekia Copeland (b. 1979) is the daughter of Houston-born Texas blues guitarist Johnny Copeland (1937–1997), who won a Grammy in 1985 for 'Showdown!' alongside Albert Collins and Robert Cray. Shemekia made her stage debut at age 8 at Harlem's Cotton Club and has won multiple Blues Music Awards, carrying on her father's legacy with a voice that can shake buildings.

That soulful, powerful voice is Etta James performing 'At Last' – her signature song and one of the most iconic recordings in blues and R&B history.

'Hoochie Coochie Man' was written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Muddy Waters at Chess Studios in January 1954. It reached #3 on the R&B charts and became one of the most covered songs in blues history. Dixon was the creative mastermind behind Chess Records, writing hits for Muddy, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Koko Taylor.

'Crazy Blues' by Mamie Smith, recorded on August 10, 1920 for Okeh Records in New York, is considered the first commercially successful blues recording. It sold 75,000 copies in its first month and over one million total, proving that there was a massive market for African American music and launching the 'race records' era.