The History of the Blues The Roots, the Music, the People: from Charley Patton to Robert Clay by Francis Davis - 1995

New York: Hyperion. Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. 1995. Second Printing. Hardcover. 0786860529 . Ex-library book, still in very good condition. Laminated cover and usual ex-lib type of markings. Light scuffing to covers, light soiling outer edge of pages and small edge stain rear pages, couple earmarks. Book otherwise clean and intact. B/w illustrations. ; Large 8vo 9" - 10" tall; "Since its origin in Mississippi before the turn of the century, the blues has been pronounced dead many times. Davis (music critic of the Atlantic) assures us that it "rises up like Lazarus every ten years or so. " This book, published in advance of a three-part PBS companion series scheduled to air in the fall of 1995, is a great starting place in understanding the continued appeal of this uniquely American music. Moving from its roots in field hollers, work songs, spirituals, country reels, and Anglo-Scottish ballads to its present-day uses selling diet soda and laxatives, Davis profiles the major artists and the developmental changes of the music. An extensive discography and bibliography give ample resources for future exploration, while a "Blues Timeline" offers an at-a-glance overview of blues milestones in relation to corresponding events in art and history." (905,05-16) .