A Beginner's Guide To The Blues
Broadcast on BBC Radio 2
March 13th to April 17th 2002 (recorded 2015)

A six-part series in which Paul Jones profiles six great blues legends who were responsible for defining the post-war blues style.

Produced by Richard Masters

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Episode 1 - Muddy Waters

Born McKinley Morganfield, the bottleneck slide guitarist and vocalist from the brutal
Mississippi Delta kick-started the Chicago blues scene in 1948 with the double hit I Can't Be Satisfied (originally I Be's Troubled) and I Feel Like Going Home.

First broadcast: 13 Mar 2002

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Episode 2 - John Lee Hooker

A tribute to the Delta guitarist who sang of despair and who emerged as one of the century's most influential figures. Hooker died in 2001, leaving behind a "dark and swampy" repertoire (in Keith Richards' words) that includes Boom Boom, I'm in the Mood, Boogie Chillen and scores of other classics. 

First broadcast: 20 Mar 2002

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Episode 3 - BB King

A tribute to perhaps the most significant electric blues guitarist, whose initials stand for
"Blues Boy" and who, like so many of his peers, grew up along the Mississippi Delta. His enormous repertoire includes Every Day I Have the Blues, Three o'Clock Blues and the 1970 crossover hit
The Thrill Is Gone. 

First broadcast: 27 Mar 2002

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Episode 4 - Bessie Smith

A tribute to the "Empress of the Blues", the unpolished, uninhibited singer who, in 1923, became the first major jazz and blues recording artist and remains to this day one of the most powerful voices on record. Among the classics are St Louis Blues, Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl and Alexander's Ragtime Band. 

First broadcast: 03 Apr 2002

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Episode 5 - Robert Johnson

A tribute to the highly influential slide guitarist who died in 1938, aged 27, leaving a mere 29 recorded titles, including classics like Cross Road Blues, Love in Vain, Sweet Home Chicago and Hellhound on My Trail. 

First broadcast: 10 Apr 2002

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Episode 6 - Louis Jordan

A tribute to the jumping jive bandleader, saxophonist and vocalist who was one of the first black artists to have major crossover appeal. Among his many hits were Choo Choo Ch'Boogie, Caldonia and Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (Ma Baby)? 

First broadcast: 17 Apr 2002

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Recorded from iPlayer.

Audio Codec: MPEG-1 Layer 3
Audio Sample Rate: 44100 Hz
Audio BitRate Type: CBR
Audio Channels: 2
Audio Bitrate (kbps): 128
Duration: 6 x 25 mins