This authoritative, newly revised collection comprises 70 melodies arranged for piano and voice by blues great W. C. Handy. Includes ""The Hesitating Blues,"" ""Joe Turner Blues,"" ""Deep River Blues,"" ""Basin Street Blues,"" and dozens of other classics. Detailed notes on each song offer fascinating background details. Extensive text by music critic Abbe Niles surveys the development of the blues, a 1990 Introduction describes the book's publication history, and a new Introduction by a leading expert on W. C. Handy profiles the life and work of the Father of the Blues. Eight striking illustrations by Miguel Covarrubias complement the collection.