The geography of the blues

The Blues is a musical form that is reflective of the cultural values and worldviews of the people responsible for creating it. As people migrate, they invariably carry their musical styles and forms with them. When music moves into new regions, it adapts new characteristics that allow it to reflect the landscapes of the people in their new locale; these characteristics include shifts in sound, performance techniques, lyrical content, and musical interpretations.;Throughout the history of African-Americans, the blues is a distinctly American creation to reflect the hardships they faced as a people. Much of this would be evident in the lyrics of early blues performers. However, working class people throughout the world, regardless of skin color or creed, have come to adopt the style to reflect the feelings of hardship and strife that they too face on a daily basis.;Much of this thesis consists of analysis and synthesis of secondary source materials used to illustrate the geographic relevancies of music. Music research in geography can lend a greater depth of understanding to cultural values and the significant roles that music has to a society.