List of country blues musicians

The following is a list of country blues musicians.

A Alger "Texas" Alexander (September 12, 1900, Jewett, Texas – April 16, 1954). Singer, a forebear of Texas blues. He did not play a musical instrument but was backed by such artists as Lonnie Johnson and Lightnin' Hopkins. He also sang with King Oliver. He recorded for Okeh Records and Freedom Records, among others. Pink Anderson (February 12, 1900, Spartanburg, South Carolina – October 12, 1974). Early country blues guitarist and singer who played Piedmont blues. Many of his recordings have been released by Prestige Records. Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong (March 4, 1909 – July 30, 2003). Singer who played fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. He also performed vaudeville blues for the Theatre Owners Booking Association.

B Backwards Sam Firk (September 18, 1943 – October 11, 2007). Country blues singer, fingerstyle guitarist, songwriter, and record collector DeFord Bailey (December 14, 1899 – July 2, 1982). Early country blues harmonica player from Tennessee. First performer on the Grand Ole Opry and known as 'the Harmonica Wizard', Bailey was an Opry stalwart for 14 years. Etta Baker (March 31, 1913, Caldwell County, North Carolina – September 23, 2006). Guitarist, banjo player and singer who performed Piedmont blues. In the 1990s she released two solo albums, one for Rounder Records. In 2004 Music Maker Records released some recordings she made with Taj Mahal in 1956 and 1998. Barbecue Bob (September 11, 1902 – October 21, 1931). Born Robert Hicks, an acoustic guitar performer of early country blues.Barlow, William (1989). "Looking Up at Down": The Emergence of Blues Culture. Temple University Press. pp. 195–96. . John Henry Barbee (November 14, 1905, Henning, Tennessee – November 3, 1964). Guitarist and singer, an exponent of early country blues and Delta blues. He performed early in his career with Sunnyland Slim. Robert Belfour (September 11, 1940, Holly Springs, Mississippi – February 24, 2015). Hill country blues guitarist and singer and collaborator with Mose Vinson. He started recording late in his career, beginning in the 1990s. His last album, Pushin' My Luck, was released by Fat Possum Records. Ed Bell (May 1905, Fort Deposit, Alabama – 1960, 1965 or 1966). Released recordings under his own name and as Sluefoot Joe and Barefoot Bill from Alabama. Scrapper Blackwell (February 21, 1903, Syracuse, South Carolina – October 27, 1962). Born Francis Hillman Blackwell, he performed acoustic Piedmont blues and was an early exponent of Chicago blues. He worked closely with the pianist Leroy Carr and backed the singer Black Bottom McPhail. Document Records issued most of his work in three volumes. Blind Blake (1896, Jacksonville, Florida – December 1, 1934). Guitarist and singer, playing early ragtime, Piedmont blues, country blues, Delta blues and Chicago blues. He recorded frequently for Paramount Records. Lucille Bogan (April 1, 1897, Amory, Mississippi – August 10, 1948). Classic female blues singer who performed early country blues. Many of her songs were sexually suggestive, and thus she may be considered a dirty blues musician. Document Records issued her complete recordings in a series of releases. Ted Bogan (May 10, 1909 – January 29, 1990). Country blues guitarist, singer-songwriter. He is best known for his work with Howard Armstrong and Carl Martin, and had a career that spanned over 50 years. His finger-picking guitar work was much admired and Bogan played in a variety of string bands most of his lifetime. These included Martin, Bogan & Armstrong or Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs. Bogus Ben Covington (possibly April 19, 1890 – 1935). Singer and mandolin-banjo player. Son Bonds (March 16, 1909, Brownsville, Tennessee – August 31, 1947). An associate of Sleepy John Estes, with a similar guitar-playing style, and Hammie Nixon. The music of one of his songs, "Back and Side Blues", became a blues standard and was used in "Good Morning, School Girl". R.L. Boyce (August 15, 1955 – November 9, 2023), born, lived and died in Como, Mississippi, and was a singer, songwriter and guitarist. His album, Roll and Tumble, was nominated a 2018 Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Blues Album category. Ishmon Bracey (January 9, 1899 or 1901 – February 12, 1970), sometimes credited as Ishman Bracey, was an American Delta blues singer-guitarist. Big Bill Broonzy (June 26, 1893 or 1898, Scott County, Mississippi – August 14 or 15, 1958). Acoustic country blues musician who performed Chicago blues, singing and playing guitar and mandolin. He recorded over 350 compositions over his career. Bob Brozman (March 8, 1954, New York City – April 23, 2013). Slide guitarist who performed in various blues idioms, including electric blues and country blues, and some traditional folk music. He recorded at least fifteen albums for Kicking Mule and other labels and worked with various musicians performing blues and other styles of music. Bumble Bee Slim (May 7, 1905 – June 8, 1968). Piedmont blues singer and guitarist. R.L. Burnside (November 23, 1926 – September 1, 2005). Mississippi hill country blues singer and guitarist. Butterbeans and Susie. Singing and dancing comedy duo of Jodie Edwards (July 19, 1895 – October 28, 1967) and Susie Edwards (1896 – December 5, 1963), active mostly in the 1920s and 1930s.

C Mississippi Joe Callicott (October 10, 1899 – May 1969). American Delta blues singer and guitarist. Cannon's Jug Stompers. Memphis jug band led by Gus Cannon, active in the 1920s and 1930s. Bo Carter (March 21, 1893, Bolton, Mississippi – September 21, 1964). One of the first dirty blues musicians, with songs like "Banana in Your Fruit Basket". A singer and multi-instrumentalist, he played guitar, banjo, string bass, and clarinet and performed mostly early Delta blues. Document Records released a series of issues of his complete recordings. John Cephas (September 4, 1930, Washington, D.C. – March 4, 2009). Raised in Bowling Green, Virginia, he was a singer, guitarist, and harmonica player performing in the Piedmont blues style. He recorded several albums, notably for Alligator Records. Jaybird Coleman (May 20, 1896, Gainesville, Alabama – January 28, 1950). Harmonica player, guitarist and singer who performed early Piedmont blues and harmonica blues. He was active mostly in the 1930s. His music career declined, and he became a street performer in Alabama. Document Records has issued a compilation of all of his recordings. Floyd Council (September 2, 1911 – May 9, 1976). Singer, guitarist and mandolinist of Piedmont blues. Ida Cox (February 26, 1896 – November 10, 1967). Singer and vaudeville performer, best known for her blues performances and recordings. James Crutchfield (May 25, 1912 – December 7, 2001). St. Louis barrelhouse blues singer and piano player.Larkin, Colin, ed. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Vol. 2; London 1998 p. 1319. .

D Blind Blues Darby (March 2, 1906 – December 1975). St. Louis-based blues singer and guitar player. Reverend Gary Davis (April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972). Blues and gospel blues singer and guitarist.W. K. McNeil, Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, Routledge, USA, 2013, p. 97, Little Buddy Doyle (born March 20, 1911; died c. 1960). American Memphis blues and country blues guitarist, singer and songwriter.

E Sleepy John Estes (January 25, 1899 or 1900 – June 5, 1977). Guitarist, singer-songwriter.

F Blind Boy Fuller (July 10, 1904 or 1907 – February 13, 1941). Guitarist and singer. Jesse Fuller (March 12, 1896 – January 29, 1976). Multi-instrumentalist, best known for his song "San Francisco Bay Blues".

G Terry Garland (June 3, 1953 – September 19, 2021). Guitarist, singer and songwriter. Jazz Gillum (September 11, 1904 – March 29, 1966). Harmonica player. Coot Grant (June 17, 1893 – December 26, 1970). Classic female blues, country blues, and vaudeville singer and songwriter.

H William Harris (dates unknown). American guitarist, singer-songwriter. He recorded sixteen songs between 1927 and 1928, of which fourteen were released on record. AllMusic noted that Harris was "a fine second-level blues and folksong performer". His best known works are "Kansas City Blues," "Early Mornin' Blues," and "Hot Time Blues." Richard "Hacksaw" Harney (July 16, 1902, Money, Mississippi – December 25, 1973, Jackson, Mississippi). Guitarist and pianist. Hattie Hart (dates unknown) Memphis blues singer-songwriter. Buddy Boy Hawkins (dates unknown). Guitarist, singer-songwriter. He recorded only 12 songs between 1927 and 1929, but Paul Oliver opined that "Hawkins was a major figure in black country music". Jessie Mae Hemphill (October 18, 1923 – July 22, 2006). Electric guitarist, songwriter, and singer of North Mississippi hill country blues. Lightnin' Hopkins (March 15, 1912, Centerville, Texas – January 30, 1982). Acoustic and electric guitarist, a major exponent of Texas blues and country blues and one of the best-known blues musicians. Son House (March 21, 1902 – October 19, 1988). Delta blues guitarist and singer.Beaumont, Daniel (2011). Preachin' the Blues; The Life and Times of Son House. Oxford University Press. p. 27-52, . Peg Leg Howell (March 5, 1888, Eatonton, Georgia – August 11, 1966). Guitarist and singer who performed acoustic country blues in the Piedmont blues style. Mississippi John Hurt (July 3, 1893, or March 8, 1892 – November 2, 1966). Guitarist and singer.

J Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson (August 16, 1915, Tyler, Texas – May 30, 1976). Acoustic and electric guitarist and singer of Texas blues. Papa Charlie Jackson (November 10, 1887 – May 7, 1938). Singer, guitarist, and banjo guitar and ukulele player.Harris, Sheldon (1994). Blues Who's Who (rev. ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. p. 263. . Skip James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969). The most famous member of the Bentonia School (or style of blues) singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter. Known for his use of Open D Minor tunings, and his falsetto singing voice. Blind Lemon Jefferson (September 24, 1893 – December 19, 1929). Blues and gospel singer, guitarist, and songwriter, one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s, who has been called the "Father of the Texas Blues".Dicaire, David (1999). Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Legendary Artists of the Early 20th Century. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company. pp. 140–144. . Herman E. Johnson (August 18, 1909 – February 2, 1975). Blues singer and guitarist. Lonnie Johnson (February 8, 1899 [disputed, possibly 1889 or 1894] – June 16, 1970). Blues and jazz singer, guitarist, violinist and songwriter, a pioneer of jazz guitar and jazz violin, recognized as the first to play an electrically amplified violin. Robert Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938). Delta blues singer, songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. Despite his short life and limited recordings, he is perhaps the best known blues musician of the pre-war era, sometimes called the "King of the Delta Blues".Wald, Elijah (2004). Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues. Amistad/HarperCollins. Blind Willie Johnson (January 22, 1897 – September 18, 1945) Born near Brenham, Texas was first and foremost a gospel blues guitarist and singer, an early innovator of the slide guitar (using a pocketknife). Johnson mixed his evangelical lyrics with early Texas blues, and is remembered for the 30 songs he recorded for Columbia Records in 192730. Richard Johnston. Richard Wayne Johnston is an American country blues musician. Tutu Jones (born September 9, 1966, Dallas, Texas). Electric blues and soul blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. Luke Jordan (January 28, 1892, Bluefield, West Virginia – June 25, 1952). Guitarist performing Piedmont blues and East Coast blues. He spent most of his career in Lynchburg, Virginia.

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