Blues | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/blues/RSS feed for BluesenWed, 22 Apr 2026 16:15:00 +0000Bob Dylan's Original Typewritten Draft Lyrics for 'I'm Not There' Have Been Rediscovered After More Than Half a Centuryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bob-dylans-original-typewritten-draft-lyrics-for-im-not-there-have-been-rediscovered-after-more-than-half-a-century-180988592/For decades, eager fans could only hear the obscure song on bootleg vinyl recordings. The draft lyrics, which were found inside a first-edition copy of Allen Ginsberg poetry, just sold at auction for $6,800Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bob-dylans-original-typewritten-draft-lyrics-for-im-not-there-have-been-rediscovered-after-more-than-half-a-century-180988592/How the Charismatic King of Zydeco Introduced the Music of the Bayou to the Nationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-the-charismatic-king-of-zydeco-introduced-the-music-of-the-bayou-to-the-nation-180986871/The lively songs and performances of Clifton Chenier, who would have turned 100 today, brought fans—including the Rolling Stones—to their feetWed, 25 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-the-charismatic-king-of-zydeco-introduced-the-music-of-the-bayou-to-the-nation-180986871/Fire Destroys Museum Honoring Legendary Blues Musician Mississippi John Hurthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fire-destroys-museum-honoring-legendary-blues-musician-mississippi-john-hurt-180983839/The three-room shack in the town of Avalon, Mississippi, was once the singer and guitarist's homeFri, 23 Feb 2024 21:45:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fire-destroys-museum-honoring-legendary-blues-musician-mississippi-john-hurt-180983839/Meet the Man Who Recorded the Music of America's Front Porches and Backyard Partieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-chris-strachwitz-captured-american-music-where-it-was-made-180983199/Chris Strachwitz, founder of Arhoolie Records, crisscrossed the United States photographing and recording musicians where they playedTue, 07 Nov 2023 13:22:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-chris-strachwitz-captured-american-music-where-it-was-made-180983199/The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2023https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-15-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2023-180982286/From an ultramarathon capital in the Rockies to a laid-back village in the Florida Keys, these vibrant towns are calling your nameTue, 06 Jun 2023 16:41:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-15-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2023-180982286/Club Ebony, Historic Stop Along the Chitlin Circuit, Reopenshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/club-ebony-chitlin-circuit-reopens-180982271/The legendary Black-owned nightclub hosted the likes of Tina Turner, Ray Charles and moreThu, 01 Jun 2023 19:08:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/club-ebony-chitlin-circuit-reopens-180982271/Legendary Bluesman Robert Johnson Had Demons. So Did His Biographerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/legendary-bluesman-robert-johnson-had-demons-so-did-his-biographer-180982027/The long-awaited “Biography of a Phantom” unravels some of the mystery and intrigueFri, 21 Apr 2023 15:12:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/legendary-bluesman-robert-johnson-had-demons-so-did-his-biographer-180982027/A Pilgrimage to Honor a Blues Legendhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/pilgrimage-honor-blues-legend-180981004/With a mysterious memento from long ago in hand, a devoted fan of the blues artist Mississippi John Hurt returns to the DeltaTue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/pilgrimage-honor-blues-legend-180981004/At an Old Juke Joint in Mississippi, the Blues Are Alivehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/bentonia-mississippi-blues-jimmy-holmes-180978356/Jimmy Holmes is the last in a line of music legends as he seeks to keep a singular American art form thrivingWed, 18 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/bentonia-mississippi-blues-jimmy-holmes-180978356/A Peek Inside the World's Greatest Record Storehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dont-call-it-doo-wop-180977950/A lovable grouch, obsessed with the magic of American sidewalk harmony, runs the Philadelphia shopWed, 23 Jun 2021 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dont-call-it-doo-wop-180977950/