Social Context of The Blues

The Civil Rights movement in the U.S. in the 1960s prompted J. B. Lenoir to record several LPs using acoustic guitar. His work at this time had an unusually direct political content relative to racism or Vietnam War issues. Despite the angry lyrics of many of his songs, Lenoir sang in a disarmingly sweet, laid-back style, and he was widely known as an exceptionally friendly and gentle person. He befriended and encouraged many young blues artists both black and white. His untimely death is lamented by John Mayall in the song, "Death of J. B. Lenoir".

JB Lenoir and Skip James