The blues singer Blind Lemon Jefferson was born in Texas in 1897. As a child, he absorbed the musical expressions of the work and worship around him. He traveled throughout the South from Texas to Virginia in search of an audience. Only rarely was he featured in vaudeville houses or traditional theaters. Most often he performed his music in the streets of small towns, in front of the feed store, or in the town square. His brief but influential recording career lasted from 1926 to 1929. Later blues artists such as B. B. King were profoundly influenced by his song style and his use of the guitar. The guitar was used by Jefferson as an extension of his voice rather than simply as an accompaniment. Two of his most inventive and evocative songs,
