One way to track the turbulent changes in Dylan’s career is to note how his live albums rework his old songs. Before the Flood, in particular, tore into his early work with bare contempt. But he was ...

Mamie Smith recorded the first blues hit 'Crazy Blues' — here is her amazing story Vaudeville performer Mamie Smith recorded “Crazy Blues” in 1920. It proved a huge hit and changed music all over the ...

Mamie Smith was the first black vocalist to record the blues. The song was "Crazy Blues," and it became a hit. But it happened almost by accident. "In a sense it was happenstance that Mamie Smith ...