It’s amazing how much of American culture is traceable back to the blues. “Without the blues, we wouldn’t have jazz, rock, gospel, soul, R&B, country, or rap music – or even George Gershwin’s masterpiece, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ (note the word “blue” in the title). The way we dance, dress, and speak, the music used to sell cars on TV – even our very concept of coolness – can be traced to the blues and its African roots.”