Escaping the Delta by Elijah Wald

Escaping the Delta by Elijah Wald

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Summary

This close-up look at the life and music of Robert Johnson and his contributions to the evolution of blues music describes his obscurity during his own life, his innovative influence on American popular music, and how the history of blues music was shaped and transformed by white fans with different tastes and standards.

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Escaping the Delta by Elijah Wald

The life of blues legend Robert Johnson becomes the centerpiece for this innovative look at what many consider to be America's deepest and most influential music genre. Pivotal are the questions surrounding why Johnson was ignored by the core black audience of his time yet now celebrated as the greatest figure in blues history. Trying to separate myth from reality, biographer Elijah Wald studies the blues from the inside -- not only examining recordings but also the recollections of the musicians themselves, the African-American press, as well as examining original research. What emerges is a new appreciation for the blues and the movement of its artists from the shadows of the 1930s Mississippi Delta to the mainstream venues frequented by today's loyal blues fans.
"If you read only one book about blues..read this one." -- Starred Booklist on Escaping the Delta
Elijah Waldis a writer and musician whose books include Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues and How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' Roll: An Alternative History of American Popular Music. A respected expert on the folk revival, he collaborated with Dave Van Ronk on The Mayor of MacDougal Street, the inspiration for the Coen Brothers' film Inside Llewyn Davis. His awards include a 2002 Grammy, and he has taught blues history at UCLA and lectured widely on American, Mexican, and world music. He currently lives in Medford, Massachusetts.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780060524272
ISBN 10 0060524278
Title Escaping the Delta
Author Elijah Wald
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Year published 2005-01-01
Number of pages 368
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.