Southern blues -- Carving out a home in the promised land -- Southern migrant blues : Lee Bradley and the Black Metropolis -- The rise of Big Bill -- I come for to sing -- We love the blues, but tell us about jazz -- Big Bill Broonzy : the making of a legend -- Escaping the folk : the 'authentic' career of a black pop star
Summary
"Over the course of his long career, legendary bluesman William 'Big Bill' Broonzy (1893-1958) helped shape the trajectory of the genre ... Along the way, Broonzy adopted an evolving personal and professional identity, tailoring his self-presentation to the demands of the place and time. Kevin D. Greene argues that Broonzy's popular success testifies to his ability to navigate the cultural expectations of his different audiences. Using Broonzy's multifaceted career, Greene situates blues performance at the center of understanding African American self-presentation and racial identity in the first half of the twentieth century
