The blues is one of America's great inventions. In this free coursse we explore the roots of the blues and how its spirit, structure, harmonies, and melodies have influenced the music that grew out of it. By the end you'll have an understanding of how you can use the blues musical forms in your own improvisations and compositions.

From early artists like W.C. Handy, Mamie Smith, and Henry Sloan, to blues greats like Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson, Muddy Watters, and B.B. King, all the way through to rock and jazz innovators like Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and so many more, we'll examine how the blues evolved and how it remains integral to the music we're listening to today. Along the way, you can jam along to backing tracks and learn how to make the 12-bar blues form your own.

Join Princeton musical director Vince di Mura, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa, and a host of other musicians in this conversational series about the blues and its musical legacy.

The blues has a story to tell, so what are you waiting for? Join the conversation today.