The Originators
Robert Johnson — The patron saint of dark blues. 29 recordings. The devil at the crossroads. Every dark blues artist lives in his shadow.
Howlin' Wolf — Chester Burnett's voice was a force of nature. "Smokestack Lightning," "Spoonful," "Back Door Man" — dark blues at its most elemental.
Son House — Raw, anguished, confrontational. His "Death Letter Blues" remains one of the most harrowing songs in American music.
The Modern Voice
Dark Country Boy — With 70 albums and 1,481 songs, Dark Country Boy bridges dark blues and dark country in a catalog unlike anything else in independent music. Raw vocals, sparse arrangements, unflinching lyrics.
The Crossover Tradition
See our Dark Country Connection page for the artists who've built bridges between these two traditions.