Blues shouter
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This is the current revision of Blues shouter as edited by Ghmyrtle (Talk | contribs) at 17:13, 15 August 2007. This URL is a permanent link to this version of this page.
A blues shouter is a blues singer, often male, capable of singing with a band. The singer must project, or "shout", to be heard over the drums and musical instruments of the band. Blues shouting was a major pathway by which jazz music edged over into rock and roll. It was also popular before the advent of microphones.
Notable blues shouters included:
- Big Joe Turner — whose style hardly changed at all between 1938's "Roll 'Em Pete", and 1954's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" — Turner was arguably the greatest exponent of the art.
- H-Bomb Ferguson
- Wynonie Harris
- Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, an unusual combination of blues shouter and bebop alto sax player.
- Walter Brown, of the Jay McShann orchestra.
- Jimmy Witherspoon, who also appeared with McShann.
- Jimmy Rushing, blues shouter with Count Basie.
