How did technology change the Blues?
Historians tend to divide blues into two parts. Prewar and post war. This is because of the electric guitar and by record collectors, who can find a natural division in the American Federation of Musicians' recording strike of 1942 - 44. A time in which no commercial records were created.
Today we think of blues as a genre and we identify artists and bands with that style. However, it wasn't until the later 1940's that groups chose to advertise themselves as a blues band. Billing as a blues band didn't become common until the 1960's. Some performers specialized in blues on records, but popular music was based more on live performances so no band wanted to be thought of as limited to a single genre.
This resulted in many of the popular and influential blues hits played by people we do not normally think as blues artists. In the mid 1930's, America was caught up by the rhythm style called "swing". Swing blended the orchestral arrangements of early dance orchestras with the sound of blues-related harmonies and New Orleans Jazz. Some swing bands used more blues than others, but all bands of that era tended to use blues phrasing from their soloists. Examples are Benny Goodman with his "Why Don't You do Right?". The big hit of 1937 was "One O'clock Jump," played by The Count Basie Orchestra another great example of a twelve-bar pattern focusing on blues.
Another shift in blues with singers and dance orchestras was amplification. Single singers found it very difficult to make themselves heard over the orchestra. Besides dance bands were playing for dancers not the listeners. Records, radios and jukeboxes made it easier to bring the vocals and orchestra together. Add an amplifier and even the most delicate singer could be fit into a big band.
Amplifying a singer's voice by using a microphone allowed small bands to work large ballrooms. When World War II caused a shortage of singers start up bands and previously never heard of crooners were given an opportunity to be heard over the orchestra.
Read More About: The Depression hits the Blues and R & B is born
