Blind Lemon Jefferson

“Blind” Lemon Jefferson (September 1893–December 1929) was an influential blues singer and guitarist from Texas. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s.

Despite his commercial success, Jefferson stands alone in a category of his own. His musical style was extremely intense and individualistic, bearing little resemblance to the typical Texas blues style of the 1930s. His singing and self-accompaniment seemed only loosely connected and he appeared to improvise his accompaniment. His irregular vocal style and his freely structured field holler rhythms made the tension between his guitar and his voice wildly unpredictable. He was not influential on younger blues singers as they did not seek to imitate him as they did other commercially successful artists. On the other hand, the white North Carolina performer Arthel “Doc” Watson credited listening to Jefferson’s recordings as his first exposure to the blues, which would powerfully influence his own style.