Miss Bessie Smith AKA “The Empress of the Blues “(April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was a protégé and sometimes lover of Ma Rainey’s when they toured together in the 1920s. Here’s 1927’s “Back Water Blues” (https://youtu.be/4gXShOJVwaM?si=gymkthC_PP9RwdMx)
#RetroView #MaRainey #BessieSmith #blues

Next is the collaboration of postmodern bluesman Keb’ Mo’ & multi-instrumentalist blues legend Taj Mahal. “Diving Duck Blues” (https://youtu.be/-iqTRNUOsFI?si=NcUZZPWJi7hHsc0V) is from their 2017 Grammy award winning album “TajMo” (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lFwK8LeUkKEfUJZin83UlC4JG-RxP6lXw&si=-4s7yrhhMKwL1UWO)
#RetroView #KebMo #TajMahal #blues

Mississippi’s own Memphis Minnie with her rendition of “Hoodoo Lady Blues” (https://youtu.be/Yhis33IOXN0?si=ZtFN213wBzIh60yW). Over the course of her 50yr career she recorded over 200 songs!
#RetroView #MemphisMinnie #blues

The legendary blueswoman Elizabeth Cotten with “Shake Sugaree” (https://youtu.be/p66KebI8aZM?si=-_Ks-Iro02sSoI_J). Unlike a lot of guitarists, she primarily plays with finger picking AND she’s a lefty who plays the guitar righty-style
#RetroView #ElizabethCotten #blues

Beverly Watkins (April 6, 1939 – October 1, 2019) a master of blues guitar that started playing professionally in the 1950s after being inspired to take up the electric guitar by her priest. She performed live into her late 70s. Here she is not too long before she passed with “Sweet Home Chicago” (https://youtu.be/OYqYCIxdo-w?si=tIExBUGBhaGSJnqD)
#RetroView #BeverlyWatkins #Blues

Ruthie Foster is a 3 time Grammy nominated singer-songwriter from Texas. “What Kind of Fool” is from her 2022 Grammy Nominated album “Healing Time” (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJQ9opSrEl40btHGTVlugUnUhMypdg-_7&si=_ZWX7TrPKLUvmmqb) that’s very much worth a listen when y’all get the time
#RetroView #RuthieFoster #blues

Buddy Guy. Big Mama Thornton. It really doesn’t get more iconically blues than this (https://youtu.be/knmvGJn0ZPk?si=Dfz823KoBvX4O6VI)
#RetroView #BuddyGuy #BigMamaThornton #blues #classicrock

Here’s Muddy Waters AKA “The Father of Modern Chicago Blues” and blues piano Hall of Famer Mr. Pinetop Perkins with “Reefer and Champagne” & “Blow Wind Blow” (https://youtu.be/tmDQzWusJZ0?si=-IxnMf-QdTYRHskf)
#RetroView #BuddyGuy #PinetopPerkins #blues

Shemekia Copeland is a prolific (12 albums!!) electric blues & gospel singer-songwriter from Harlem, NYC. “Don’t Whisper” (https://youtu.be/oY1Fpsn59cw?si=yx_iDKOz55C2MAja) is from her 2002 album “Talking to Strangers” (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzGotn8LeP0fhf6RPKVWvdh-cEBnVAJuh&si=lxLlJp_xLz40aQAI)
#RetroView #ShemekiaCopeland #blues

Miss Barbara Lynn AKA The Queen of Gulf Coast Rhythm & Soul is both still with us and still performing live at 83yrs young. Here’s “It’s Better to Have It” from 1966 (https://youtu.be/W1Wj889p9Zo?si=SxHHTWxfLXTq5N3-)
#RetroView #BarbaraLynn #classicrock

Next we have the only Black non-American band on this playlist: The London-based, feminist punk band Big Joanie. This is their cover of Solange’s “Cranes in the Sky” (https://youtu.be/Lc3unP3KyFU?si=A9IxfNd3oqCjnKfe)
#RetroView #BigJoanie #punk

Black Pumas are an Austin, Texas-basted psychedelic band that’s been nominated for a Grammy 6 times. “Black Moon Rising” (https://youtu.be/bynWXFY5U6U?si=Zof23CGnfTnHgLpo) is from their 2019 debut album (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lMwlQOhT-X4SBy5IBCdpXsgSVZLoecEy8&si=TkQJQsjm4VFGS1FF)
#RetroView #BlackPumas

#RetroView favorite Rhiannon Giddens with a cover of Delta Blues legend Big Joe WIlliams’s “Bye Bye Baby Blues” (https://youtu.be/vVKzFWcYs7g?si=4TNrLYCSj50pAMnP)
#RhiannonGiddens #BigJoeWilliams #blues

Brittany Howard and Alabama Shakes with their no BS take on Memphis Minnie’s “Killer Diller” (https://youtu.be/JFHbfApw9kk?si=EfDJcuDrXIhVSx7Z). After nearly a decade apart, The ‘Shakes are headed back on the road this year
#RetroView #AlabamaShakes #BrittanyHoward #MemphisMinnie #blues

The dearly missed Queen of Rock & Roll herself, Miss Tina Turner with “Undercover Agent of the Blues” (https://youtu.be/ZIW91a5n5L0?si=adkapHNuxhGUprQN)
#RetroView #TinaTurner #blues

This is an outtake (https://youtu.be/EhqGB9GCPB0?si=nB1ES5PzvHXkEhjr ) of the Doo Wop classic “Don’t Mess Around with Love” (https://youtu.be/_3o7aQtM2c0?si=zmLZC5s3NLuXVT2d) by New York- based doo wop group The Blenders. I thought it was an interesting find
#RetroView #TheBlenders #DooWop

Sister Rosetta Tharpe AKA “The Original Soul Sister” AKA “The Godmother of Rock n Roll”none of this would be possible without her. Her guitar is currently on loan to the Met Museum. This is “shout Sister Shout”( (https://youtu.be/5fLWel645CM?si=pCmXd1iRYCcHNHXx)
#RetroView #SisterRosettaTharpe #blues