The marriage of jazz’s insistent, percussive thrust with the raw and potent tradition of blues music begat rhythm and blues – the forebearer of traditional rock n’ roll and one of the most influential genres in music history.
From pioneers like Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, to the many acts they inspired, including Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Tom Waits, our archive is full of photography as rich and vital as the music itself.
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Ray Charles at Carnegie Hall, 1966
Photo by: Bill Ray © Life Picture Collection
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Ray Charles at Carnegie Hall
Photo by: Bill Ray © Life Picture Collection
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Ray Charles Playing Chess
Photo by: Bill Ray © Life Picture Collection
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Ray Charles With a Camera
Photo by: Bill Ray © Life Picture Collection
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Ray Charles, 1966
Photo by: Bill Ray © Life Picture Collection
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Howlin’ and Muddy
Photo by: Tom Copi
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A Dapper Marvin
Photo by: EMI Archives/UMG
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BB King 1999
Photo by: Janet Macoska
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Otis Redding 1965
Photo by: Dezo Hoffmann
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Ray
Photo by: Tom Copi
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Muddy Waters
Photo by: Peter Anderson
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Hendrix At Monterey
Photo by: Ed Caraeff
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BB King in San Quentin
Photo by: Richard McCaffrey
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Stevie’s Harmonica
Photo by: Mirrorpix
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Muddy Waters on stage
Photo by: Tom Copi
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James Brown Visits Harlem
Photo by: Richard E. Aaron
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John Lee Hooker
Photo by: Tom Copi
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