Music is a tough career path for women, especially African American women, and male blues artists significantly outnumber female artists. Nonetheless, the blues queens dominated recordings of the blues in the 1920s, with a steady stream of influential female performers since that time. This course will explore the music and careers of women performers in the blues, from Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and their peers, to Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton and Irma Thomas, to Koko Taylor, Bonnie Raitt and beyond. NOTE: This is a hybrid course and will be offered simultaneously online via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent in advance of the first session to all students.