Largely neglected by scholars, musician Lonnie Johnson challenges critical perceptions of the blues as a genre. Born in 1894 in New Orleans, Johnson was a versatile professional musician, who crossed generic boundaries almost too effortlessly. Analysis of his recorded works reveals lyrical and musical themes that call into question critical assumptions about the blues. Johnson's work challenges us to think about not only what we recognize and value in “the blues,” but also what we leave unexamined or choose not to hear. The course is based on a forthcoming book on Johnson.
Course Code
508166