Rhythm & Blues from Bessie Smith to Louis Jordan: Ed Ward's History of Rock & Roll

Today Ed Ward and I will be filling in a gap in our discussion of his epic History of Rock & Roll Part 1, 1920-1963 by discussing the evolution of African-American music from blues & jazz thru swing to Rhythm and Blues with a focus on great performers from Bessie Smith to Louis Jordan. This week, Ed and I talk about the how African-American pop music transformed itself thru the swing era, the rise & fall of the blues queens, the thin line between jazz and blues, the first guitar heroes and the greatest American musical superstar you’ve probably barely heard of, Louis Jordan.

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