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Chapter 12
The Birth and Growth
of Classic Electric Blues
In This Chapter
Discovering how electric guitar in blues became popular
Recognizing the influence of T-Bone Walker
Understanding the greats of Chicago and modern-day blues
Following the three kings: Albert, Freddie, and B.B.
Birthing the next generation: Guitarists of the new blues
To understand electric blues, you must first understand the electric guitar
and how it’s different from the acoustic guitar. The electric guitar uses a
magnetic pickup to capture the sound of the vibrating metal strings instead
of a microphone or a transducer (a contact microphone that relies on a vibrating
surface, such as the guitar’s bridge or soundboard).
Early electric guitars, even ones with pickups, weren’t much different from
acoustic guitars in construction, but gradually the manufacturing approaches
to electric and acoustic guitars diverged to produce two entirely different
species. And along with the evolution of the electric guitar, so followed the
electric blues guitar player’s technique.
Today, of course, the electric guitar in blues (as it is in other genres) is far
more popular than its older, acoustic counterpart. Think of the biggest blues
guitar names playing today — Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bonnie
Raitt, Robert Cray. All are electric blues players who rocketed the blues to
popularity. The acoustic-blues players of today — Rory Block, John
Hammond Jr., Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, Corey Harris, Roy Book Binder, and Bob
Brozman — are no less talented, but don’t enjoy the household-name status
of, say, a King or a Clapton.
TEAM LinG