Blues is a living and dynamic tradition that has resounded throughout Black communities?for over a century, channeling transcendent?grief?and strength. ?In the mid-20th?century, Folkways Records became a major hub for blues legends?such as?Lightnin' Hopkins, ?Lead Belly, Memphis Slim, Big Bill Broonzy, Elizabeth?Cotten, Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGhee. ?Classic Blues from Smithsonian Folkways?spans half a century and features?these and other?foundational?figures in blues history performing?in the?Delta, ?St. ?Louis, Southwest, ?Piedmont, ?and Chicago?styles. ?From boogie to ballads?and?laced with?innuendo and irony, this classic collection?is available on vinyl for the first time on?two LPs?with?extensive notes by?musician and scholar Dr. Barry Lee Pearson.