Blues Music Research Paper

Outside of this class, I have had very little exposure to music history of any type, including blues music. It is quickly becoming apparent how significantly music reflects and explains American history and culture. I find all aspects of this new and interesting, but I am particularly fascinated by the connection of American Blues Music with suffering. The duality of this suffering is what makes it interesting - that both black and white pain created and shaped blues music. Originating out of the African slave trade, blues music is intrinsically linked to African American culture and is undeniably strongly linked to these people and their culture. The African musical traits and traditions and the cultural ties are significant, even when blues music changes throughout the early 1900s. I find it most interesting, however, that this music was a type of catharsis and therapy that reflected the pain and

I had never thought about the emotional repercussions of white Americans after the Civil War – I think this is because we view the end of slavery as a prevail of justice more than anything else. Looking back on American history, it seems ridiculous to think it took such an effort to end such an atrocious tradition, but it reshaped the country entirely. In addition to this cultural shock, America was industrializing, and slowly moving away from the purely agricultural society it had always been. While there is a substantial amount of literature from this era, my education lacks a true understanding of the physiological conditions of the time. I found the term neurasthenia and its wide acceptance captivating. The entire idea seems absurd, but the mental health reaction of white Americans is critical to shaping the blues as well. I am interested to learn more about this suffering and the relationship it had with black suffering and how the two affected blues