What's It All About? Blue Smoke tells the story of Big Bill Broonzy, a south side Chicago blues musician who came up from Mississippi after being drafted into World War I. Having learned to play on handmade instruments, Big Bill Broonzy began his career playing small gigs and rent parties. By the end of his career, he had mentored some of the biggest names in Chicago Blues history, traveled Europe, recorded over 200 sides, brought traditional folk music to white audiences in New York, and appealed to an integrated audience. With a career that spanned from the 1920s through the 1950s, Big Bill captured the hearts of audiences worldwide

My thoughts: I loved this book, but it can be dense at various points. House tells not just the story of Big Bill, but includes plenty of social commentary, often from the Big Bill's lyrics or those of his contemporaries. House started on this particular research path for his dissertation, and it absolutely reads like an academic piece. There are at least as many facts as there is story-telling. One of the best parts of this book is the discography and list of recording sessions in the back. Using this book as a starting point, one can follow the entire history of Chicago Blues through the artists that Big Bill worked with and inspired.

Genre: Non-fiction, history of music
Themes: Chicago Blues, racism, folk music, music industry

Recommended For: Fans of any of the themes listed, but I would warn them the text can be a little dry at times.

Bonus Material: In 1956, Yannick and Margo Bruynoghe filmed a short documentary about Big Bill, which you can view below!