The River City’s Sound: Community in the St. Louis Blues
Start Date
23-4-2026 12:00 AM
Description
The blues of St. Louis possess a unique sound that has been shared through generations, yet it has often been overlooked in scholarship on blues history. Situated between two major centers of blues development, the Mississippi Delta and Chicago, St. Louis has received far less attention than these more prominent areas. While scholars have extensively examined the origins of Delta blues and the electrified urban sound of Chicago, far fewer studies have looked at St. Louis as a critical transitional place within this musical tradition. This paper argues that the St. Louis blues sound emerged not just from musical traits, but from the communities and musicians who sustained it through everyday performance and practice. Drawing on sources such as The Bluesletter, musician accounts, and local performance history, this study demonstrates how migration, local venues, and community networks shaped a blues culture that blended Delta traditions with ragtime and jazz influences.
Recommended Citation
Aubuchon, Colton, "The River City’s Sound: Community in the St. Louis Blues" (2026). 2026 Student Academic Showcase. 16.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/src_2026/oral_presentation/1/16
The River City’s Sound: Community in the St. Louis Blues
The blues of St. Louis possess a unique sound that has been shared through generations, yet it has often been overlooked in scholarship on blues history. Situated between two major centers of blues development, the Mississippi Delta and Chicago, St. Louis has received far less attention than these more prominent areas. While scholars have extensively examined the origins of Delta blues and the electrified urban sound of Chicago, far fewer studies have looked at St. Louis as a critical transitional place within this musical tradition. This paper argues that the St. Louis blues sound emerged not just from musical traits, but from the communities and musicians who sustained it through everyday performance and practice. Drawing on sources such as The Bluesletter, musician accounts, and local performance history, this study demonstrates how migration, local venues, and community networks shaped a blues culture that blended Delta traditions with ragtime and jazz influences.