Chicago Blues

Chicago grew to become a blues center when thousands of Mississippians left the fields and headed north in search of factory jobs. Included in these immigrants were blues players from the delta, who were soon playing their music on the corners and in the bars of Maxwell street.
Easily the most recognizable and arguably the most popular, the Chicago Blues style was developed in the late 1940s and early 50s. This is what many people think of when blues is mentioned. The vision of a small blues band playing in a smoky club is straight out of the early days of blues in Chicago.
The early Chicago Blues of the 50s was highly amplified Delta Blues and featured slide guitar, harmonica and piano as its lead instruments with drums and bass filling out the bands. The use of this lineup was pioneered and made popular by Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Hound Dog Taylor to name just a few. Although the Chicago Blues style has evolved through the years it has remained basically true to the style and format developed in those early days.