The Chicago blues is a perfect example of how far great music can go. From humble beginnings at Chicago’s street corners, today this music form enjoys a global following. It is the Black musicians of Chicago who first came up with this distinctly stylish and urban sound. Thanks to the likes of Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Big Bill Broonzy, Otis Rush, Howlin’ Wolf, Eddie Taylor, Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tampa Red, Junior Wells, Little Walter and many more, the nightclub scene of Chicago livened up to the sounds of these legendary musicians. They kept their audiences mesmerized while playing the electrically amplified guitar, bass guitar, piano, drums, at times the harmonica, the saxophone and even the trumpet.

 

Initially loved by only Black patrons who frequented the Blues clubs, the crowds began to diversify as the magic of Chicago Blues started spreading like wildfire - first all over Chicago, and then across America, Europe and every other part of the world. This also lead to a number of record labels being formed, the most prominent one being Chess Records. Often referred to as “ America’s greatest blues label”, owners and brothers Phil and Leonard Chess did plenty to promote the Chicago blues. Chess Records’ subsidiary organization Checker Records recorded such legendary musicians like Robert Lockwood Jr., Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson II and J. B. Lenoir. The recording careers of Buddy Guy, Magic Sam and Otis Rush were launched by an independent record label named Cobra Records. Other prominent record companies that promoted the Chicago blues are Demark, Alligator Records and Twinight Records.

 

Today blues fans from all over the world eagerly look forward to the month of June every year, for it brings with it the biggest free blues festival of the world – the Chicago Blues Festival. It was first started in the year 1984 by Lois Weisberg, a year after Muddy Waters, “the Father of Chicago blues” had passed away. The who’s who of blues music have performed at this event - B.B. King, Ray Charles, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf ,Willie Dixon, Bobby Rush, Albert King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Calvin Jones, Chicago Blues Museum All Stars, Carey Bell, Chuck Berry, Etta James, Eddy Clearwater, Fontella Bass, Henry Townsend, James Cotton, Jimmy Rogers, Johnnie Taylor, Keith Richards, Little Willie Littlefield, Louisiana Red, Memphis Slim, Otis Rush, Magic Slim, and many more. This is Chicago's largest music festivals and those three June days prove year after year that Chicago is indeed the “Blues Capital of the World”.