Delta blues from the crossroads

During the 2010 Grammy awards, the Delta blues was remembered as guitarist David "Honeyboy" Edwards was honored with a lifetime achievement award. At 94 years old, Edwards is one of the only original Delta musicians still alive, and he continues to tour. Honeyboy has been around since the beginning of Delta blues and has witnessed this style throughout its growth.

The blues, or more specifically the Delta blues, was birthed in the Deep South along the Mississippi River in early 20th century. Running from Memphis, Tennessee in the North to the most southern reaches of Mississippi, Delta blues in its earliest of forms felt like voodoo–fiery and bleeding with passion.

Beginning with African slaves in the late 1800s, the songs and music were brought to the U.S. by way of their respective regions in Africa. Once in America, the musical traditions and cultures blended together to form the blues.

For many African-Americans, the creators of this style, buried deep in the bayou, the Delta blues was a way of life.

But it was not until approximately 1912 that the term was officially coined when William Christopher Handy wrote a song titled, "Memphis Blues."

Handy was a composer in his time and is considered to be the "Father of the Blues" as he brought the style of music from a regional song to a well-known style throughout the U.S.

The most iconic blues guitarist of this era, Robert Johnson carried with him a heavy burden, or so the story goes. According to legend, Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads to become a better musician. Fellow blues guitarist Son House once commented on his ability on guitar by stating, "He sold his soul to the devil to get to play like that."

Legend continues to suggest that ever since his deal with Satan, Johnson had been in debt to the Devil. Lyrics from "Hellhound on My Trail" include, "And the days keeps on worryin' me, there's a hellhound on my trail."

This is a tale that has found its way into pop culture. The Coen brother's film "O Brother where art thou?" plays on of the legend of Robert Johnson with a character who plays a black guitarist met at a crossroad.

Johnson's music has been re-made by many musicians since his death. Most notably, 60s rock band Cream replayed one of Johnson's songs, "Crossroad Blues." Johnson's lyrics, "I tried to flag a ride. Didn't nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by..." Famous British guitarist Eric Clapton continues to play "Crossroad Blues" live and even recorded an entire cover album of Johnson's music in 2004 titled "Me and Mr. Johnson." Johnson continued to write and record until his death in 1938 at age 27 in Greenwood, Mississippi. The story of his death is still unclear to this day, but it is believed that he was poisoned after flirting with a jealous man's wife.

Edward James "Son" House was born in Mississippi just after 1900. He pioneered the slide guitar and much of his music was influenced by southern hymns and gospels. House spent some time in prison after allegedly killing a man. A judge reexamined his case and House was released after two years. He went on to befriend the young Robert Johnson and, after recording several sessions for the Library of Congress, disappeared from the music scene until the rebirth of the blues in the 60s. House passed away in 1988.

Although often considered a Chicago musician, Muddy Waters introduced the Delta blues to an entirely new audience. Things began in 1948 with Waters' hit single, "Rollin' Stone," after which the British rock band The Rolling Stones is named.

During the 1950s, Waters became a frontman and toured the world until he died of a heart attack in 1983. Muddy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has since been ranked the number 17 greatest artist of all-time in Rolling Stone Magazine.

Musicians like Robert Johnson, Son House, and Muddy Waters handcrafted one of America's oldest and most original art forms. While this is only a handful of the blues guitarists of the genre, these musicians have had a huge and fundamental impact on bands of the last century. The blues paint a story rich in everything from despair and captivity to hope and freedom.

There is something ephemeral about a man and his guitar, and for an African-American to have the freedom to play music at the brink of the 20th century represents a triumph for musical expression as well as the human capacity to speak through music. The Delta blues is a voice born from the sorrows of the early 1900s and carries out through the airwaves in nearly all forms of music in the new millennium.