elta guitar players were the most traditional and the most original interpreters of the rural blues. Charley Patton is considered to be the heart and soul of the delta blues. Many other performers also stemmed from Patton such as Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, and Son House. Robert Johnson was another key transitional figure working with the Missippi. He helped bridge the gap between the music's rural beginning and it's modern future. (Shirmer, 212) As early as the turn of the century the blues were trickling into cities of the south and the Midwest with the development of urban blues. The major difference between urban blues and country blues were the lyrics involved in the songs. (Davis, 96) Minstrel shows were started in the post civil times and were considered the only true form of African American entertainment. These shows traveled around the south putting on skits and musical performances. The shows were run by white businessmen and were designed to often make fun of the African American culture. Blues performers started to join these shows as the only oppurtunity to make a living.(Shirmer, 247) Other blues shows started and theaters that catered to African Americans eventually started booking the shows. Soon after, the Theaters Owners Booking Association (TOBA) was created. Circuits of theaters were formed where they would book a series of black performers. The TOBA provided valuable experience and exposure for the blues performers. Women as well as men achieved stardom on the TOBA. Blues writing soon became a profession were songs were produced in mass quantities. Once a song became popular the writers used that formula to write other songs. Writers would produce songs and have them copyrighted faster than the musicians could play them. All too often, the songs weren't very original and rarely accepted by the public. The blues form was first popularized and nationally recongnized between 1911-14, by the black composer W.C. Handy ...
