Electric Blues

Electric blues on vinyl: when the blues got loud

In short: Electric blues is blues with an electrically amplified guitar – from the forties it made the blues louder, sharper and more danceable. T-Bone Walker is regarded as one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in the blues, followed in Chicago and the American South by Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Albert King and many others. The Vinyl Room currently has 14 electric blues records.

What is electric blues?

The amplifier as part of the music: Jimmy Reed is represented several times, including “At Carnegie Hall”. “The Howlin' Wolf Album” shows Howlin' Wolf with unusually psychedelic arrangements.

Plus T-Bone Walker with “Singing The Blues”, Albert King with “San Francisco '83” and Lowell Fulsom with “Tramp”. Under this label we also have “Ali”, on which Vieux Farka Touré and Khruangbin play songs by Ali Farka Touré.

What to look for

Many electric blues classics came out on US labels such as Chess or Vee-Jay and were often reissued later; label, catalogue number and country of release help you tell which edition you have – it’s noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

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→ Jimmy Reed · Howlin' Wolf · Chicago blues · Blues on vinyl · How to spot a first pressing · Grading explained

FAQ

What is electric blues? Blues with an electrically amplified guitar, widespread from the forties.

Who is regarded as a pioneer? Among others T-Bone Walker, one of the first great electric guitarists of the blues.

What is the difference from Chicago blues? Chicago blues is an important form of electric blues; electric blues also covers musicians from other regions.

What is “The Howlin' Wolf Album”? A 1969 album on which Howlin' Wolf can be heard with psychedelic arrangements.