The hands that play the blues – in pictures

Joseph A Rosen’s Blues Hands is a photographic look at the strength and diversity of blues music. The book features images from the music photographer’s three-decade-long career photographing some of America’s greatest musicians, including Buddy Guy, Al Green and the Blind Boys of Alabama. Blues Hands is available through Schiffer Publishing and Amazon.com

  • Richie Havens gained fame as a singer-songwriter and a folk musician, but he was heavily influenced by the blues. He is perhaps best known for his performance at Woodstock, where he was the first act to perform. Due to massive traffic jams, the following acts were yet to arrive and he did a three-hour set with multiple encores. All Photographs: Joseph A Rosen, Courtesy of Schiffer Publishing Ltd
    Richie Havens gained fame as a singer-songwriter and a folk musician, but he was heavily influenced by the blues. He is perhaps best known for his performance at Woodstock, where he was the first act to perform. Due to massive traffic jams, the following acts were yet to arrive and he did a three-hour set with multiple encores

  • Frank “Scrap Iron” Robinson spent thirty years on the Chitlin’ Circuit as Little Milton Campbell’s road manager. He watched the door, the money, and Milton’s back. He has some great stories to tell. Twice a year he serves as a Master of Ceremonies on the Legendary R&B Cruise.
    Frank “Scrap Iron” Robinson spent thirty years on the Chitlin’ Circuit as Little Milton Campbell’s road manager. He watched the door, the money, and Milton’s back. He has some great stories to tell. Twice a year he serves as a Master of Ceremonies on the Legendary R&B Cruise.

  • James Hubert ‘Eubie’ Blake was a Ragtime pianist and composer born before the turn of the 20th century. He first became famous for his vaudeville collaboration with Noble Sissle. Their 1921 musical Shuffle Along – considered the first Broadway hit by and about African Americans – produced the wildly popular song I’m Just Wild About Harry. He went on to compose hundreds of songs over the next 60 years
    James Hubert “Eubie” Blake was a Ragtime pianist and composer born before the turn of the twentieth century. He first became famous for his vaudeville collaboration with Noble Sissle. Their 1921 musical Shuffle Along—considered the first Broadway hit by and about African-Americans —produced the wildly popular song “I’m Just Wild About Harry.” He went on to compose hundreds of songs over the next sixty years.

  • No one has done more to bring blues to the world than BB King. A genius and a gentleman, he is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame, and has been awarded the National Medal of Arts, the National Heritage Fellowship, the Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From humble Mississippi beginnings to worldwide recognition and stardom, he has defined class and dignity
    No one has done more to bring blues to the world than BB King. A genius and a gentleman, he is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame, and has been awarded the National Medal of Arts, the National Heritage Fellowship, the Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From humble Mississippi beginnings to worldwide recognition and stardom, he has defined class and dignity

  • As a Grammy-winning ambassador for zydeco – the Creole music of south-west Louisiana – Stanley Dural Jr aka Buckwheat Zydeco tours the world, bringing music, joy and culture to audiences everywhere. He is pictured here playing the Hammond organ. When organ players cross their hands like this it’s called ‘going cross country’
    As a Grammy-winning ambassador for zydeco – the Creole music of south-west Louisiana – Stanley Dural Jr aka Buckwheat Zydeco tours the world, bringing music, joy and culture to audiences everywhere. He is pictured here playing the Hammond organ. When organ players cross their hands like this it’s called ‘going cross country’

  • David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards connected rural Mississippi Delta blues to the contemporary era. Born in 1915, he was exposed to the deep blues of Tommy Johnson and Charlie Patton. He went on to perform with many Delta artists, including Robert Johnson. While still in the south he performed with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Big Joe Williams and Sonny Boy Williamson. He migrated north with them and was present at the inception of modern electric blues. He was 96 when this photo was taken. Six months later he died
    David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards connected rural Mississippi Delta blues to the contemporary era. Born in 1915, he was exposed to the deep blues of Tommy Johnson and Charlie Patton. He went on to perform with many Delta artists, including Robert Johnson. While still in the south he performed with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Big Joe Williams and Sonny Boy Williamson. He migrated north with them and was present at the inception of modern electric blues. He was 96 when this photo was taken. Six months later he died

  • Johnny Winter was one of the first of the “Blues Rockers” to achieve popular and commercial success in the 1960s. He created an awareness and respect for the genre like few others. His music always remained deeply rooted in the Texas traditions of his youth.
    Johnny Winter was one of the first of the “Blues Rockers” to achieve popular and commercial success in the 1960s. He created an awareness and respect for the genre like few others. His music always remained deeply rooted in the Texas traditions of his youth.

  • Beautiful and ageless, Maxine Brown personifies soulful elegance. She had early roots in Gospel, then hits like All in My Mind and Oh No, Not My Baby, and added a series of successful duets with Chuck Jackson. Then she had another string of solo hits, often with backing vocals by Cissy Houston and the Sweet Inspirations. In 1991, she was awarded the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award
    Beautiful and ageless, Maxine Brown personifies soulful elegance. She had early roots in Gospel, then hits like All in My Mind and Oh No, Not My Baby, and added a series of successful duets with Chuck Jackson. Then she had another string of solo hits, often with backing vocals by Cissy Houston and the Sweet Inspirations. In 1991, she was awarded the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award

  • Earl Salley of the Zydeco band Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band plays the rubboard, or frottoir at the North Atlantic Blues Festival in Rockland, Maine, in 2012
    Earl Salley of the Zydeco band Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band plays the rubboard, or frottoir at the North Atlantic Blues Festival in Rockland, Maine, in 2012
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