Crossing Over: From Blues to Soul and More African American Song Traditions

This episode explores the musical boundary crossings of soul artists such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, as well as blues artists such as Charley Patton, Blind Gary Davis, and Son House.  Other artists, including Jimmie Rodgers, J.M. Gates, and Rosetta Tharpe, are also discussed. Emphasis is on the genre ambiguity of certain performances and the musical styles of recording artists who have drawn from the sounds of "the black church" in the United States.