The Delta blues laid the foundation for modern rock, blues, and even metal, and four legendary guitarists—Skip James, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, and Son House—defined the genre. Their raw, haunting melodies, powerful vocal delivery, and intricate fingerpicking and slide guitar work influenced everyone from Eric Clapton to The Rolling Stones.
- “Devil Got My Woman” – Skip James. A haunting minor blues piece, open D-minor tuning, and fingerpicked melodies.
- “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” – Skip James. A slow blues, dissonant chord voicings, minor blues phrasing.
- “High Water Everywhere” – Charlie Patton. A rhythmic, driving blues, featuring percussive strumming, fast chord changes, and narrative storytelling.
- “Kind-Hearted Woman Blues” – Robert Johnson. Single-note lead fills with open-position chord progressions and bluesy vocal phrasing.
- “Preaching the Blues” – Son House. Bottleneck slide guitar, open G tuning, Son House’s signature percussive playing style.