The Blues is one of the most important African-American musical genres and has been highly influential in the development of jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and other Western popular musics. This module will consider what the blues are and who were/are the musicians who sang them. We will study the stylistic aspects of the different types of blues and the societies which shaped them. More specifically we will discuss the ways in which the blues were disseminated and the attitudes they communicate about morality, society, religion, etc. of the musicians who created them. Other important issues considered will include race, class, gender, and questions of intellectual property.