The great musicians of the Delta helped spread the blues across America

The Delta stretches across northwestern Mississippi like a big fallen leaf, tucked between two rivers. It spans 220 miles north to south and, at its widest, 87 miles east to west. How can so many great musical artists come from so small a place? As historian Ted Gioia observed, the Delta’s influence on American music “is so pervasive today that it is almost impossible to take full measure of its impact.” Here are 16 great Delta blues artists. All are Black. Fifteen are men. Man