The Blues: The World's Most Successful Folk Music

How did African American rural folk songs become an enduring music genre? Learn about African American contributions to music, the origins of the Blues, and post WWII musical developments, including Rock N’ Roll and the British Invasion.

John Paul Groom (“Paul”) was raised in Liverpool, England and experienced a passion for music even before the Beatles arrived. He attended the same High School as Paul McCartney and George Harrison and the same Sunday School as John Lennon. However, the vibrant music scene in Liverpool, largely inspired by admiration for the new and exciting Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll music coming from the USA was captivating. Paul was a drummer in a teenage band for a short while.

After a career spent in the world of finance in the UK, The USA and Brazil, Paul retired and decided to return to his passion for music. In the last five years Paul has presented a range of subjects from “The Blues”, “The History of Rock and Roll”, “Elvis”, “The Beatles” and “The 60’s and the Counterculture”, to mention but a few, in libraries, Adult Schools, retirement groups etc.