Category:The Western Influence, the Expansion of the Blues, and Classic Blues

The Delta blues remained primarily in the rural, southern towns in which it originated until it was encountered by musicians that were already popular with audiences across the South; these musicians who "discovered" the blues predominantly worked with traveling minstrel and theater troupes and therefore had the means to spread and popularize the otherwise obscure, rural styles that they found so intriguing. With the advent of early recording technology, these same musicians further popularized blues through recordings, particularly in the "Classic" blues style.