Topic: I am looking for the earliest record of blues patterns in sheet music.

[davet]

Greetings

I am undertaking a little research into the earliest sheet music that included a blues pattern. I have got back as far as back as 1904. there is a ragtime piece called 'One O them things?' which has a blues pattern in it. I found it in an essay by Ray Dessy.

Any comments, information would be much appreciated.

best wishes
DaveT

[Johnm]

Hi davet
What do you mean by a "blues pattern"?
All best,
Johnm

[jharris]

Hi Dave,

There's a very interesting book called Long Lost Blues: Popular Blues in America, 1850-1920 that came out several years back. He traces the blues prior to the recording era with a particular focus on sheet music.

https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/32ykh8wx9780252034879.html

[davet]

Thank you both for responding to my query.

John
I started to write "12 bar pattern" and then stopped because the illustrious members of this site would have gently reminded me that blues also comes in a variety of other packages (eight, four bar and other configurations). Thanks for nudging me to provide more detail.

Jeff
Thanks for the reference. The book looks like it covers what I am looking for. I have ordered a copy.