1900s – 1940s
The first black musician to make a record with a blues harp was Pete Hampton in 1904.[1] These recordings included “race” music, intended for the black market of the southern states with solo recordings by DeFord Bailey (who appeared on the first episode of the WSM Barn Dance after it had changed its name to the Grand Ole Opry), duo recordings with a guitarist Hammie Nixon, Walter Horton, Sonny Terry, jug band performers such as Jaybird Coleman, as well as hillbilly styles recorded for white audiences, by Frank Hutchison, Gwen Foster and several other musicians. There are also recordings featuring the harmonica in jug bands, of which the Memphis Jug Band is the most famous. But the harmonica still represented a toy instrument in those years and was associated with the poor. It is also during those years that musicians started experimenting with new techniques such as tongue-blocking, hand effects and the most important innovation of all, the 2nd position, or cross-harp.
1950s
The harmonica then made its way with the blues and the black migrants to the north, mainly to Chicago but also to Detroit, St. Louis and New York. Music played by blacks popularized the use of electric amplification for the guitar, blues harp, double bass, and vocals. Rice Miller, better known as Sonny Boy Williamson II, is one of the most important harmonists of this era. Using a full blues band, he became one of the most popular acts in the South due to his daily broadcasts on the ‘King Biscuit Hour‘, originating live from Helena, Arkansas. He also helped make popular the cross-harp technique, opening the possibilities of harp playing to new heights. This technique has now become one of the most important blues harmonica methods. Sonny Boy Williamson II used hand effects to give a very talkative feel to his harp playing. A number of his compositions have also become standards in the blues world. Williamson had a powerful sound and extended his influence on the young British blues rockers in the 1960s, recording with Eric Clapton and The Yardbirds and appearing on live British television.
My playlist of Favorite Harmonica Blues Artist and their songs
- Will Wilde – Mean Mistreatin’ Mama
- Billy Boy Arnold – Catfish
- Eddie Burns – Jail Time
- Harmonica Shah – Cryin’ Won’t Help Me Now
- Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – Walkin’ My Blues Away
- James Cotton – Dealing With the Devil
- Little Sonny – Hot Potato
- Billy Branch & The Sons Of The Blues – As The Years Go Passing By
- Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield – Born in Chicago
- Cephas and Wiggins – Burn Your Bridges
- Paul Delay – 14 Dollars In The Bank
- Sonny Boy Williamson II -I’m Nt Beggin’ Nobody
- Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers – Low Down Dog
- Slim Harpo – I Need Money
- Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell – Tell Me Baby
- Tommy Castro and The PainKillers w/ Holmes Brothers & Magic Dick – Two Steps Forward
- Mark Hummel – Have You Ever Been In Love
- Little Walter – Juke
- John Mayall – The Law Must Change
- Charlie Musselwhite – Fast Life Blues
- Jerry McCain – That’s What They Want
- Paul Oscher – Straw And A Pipe
- Jason Ricci & New Blood – Blues Penitentiary
- Junior Wells – It’s So Sad To Be Lonesome
- Mud Morganfield & Kim Wilson – I Want You To Love Me
- Terry “Harmonica” Bean-Why Do You me like you do
- George Smith & The Chicago Blues Band – Tell Me Mama
- Coy “Hot Shot” Love – Harpin’ On It
- Sugar Ray & The Bluetones – I Came Down With The Blues
- Jimmy Reed – High and Lonesome