Background Sources
Online encyclopedias are a good starting point for information on musicians and musical styles, as well as historical context.
- EBooks (Gale) This link opens in a new windowCross-searches many encyclopedias, including Contemporary Musicians and Contemporary Black Biography.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowAnother cross-searchable collection of encyclopedia and reference books.
- Encyclopedia of the Blues (edited by Edward Komara and Peter Lee), 2005Covers not only the performers, but also musical styles, instruments, regions, record labels and cultural aspects of the blues, including race and gender issues.
- Garland Encyclopedia of World Music OnlineOnline reference resource for research in ethnomusicology. Volume 3: The United States and Canada includes entries about blues music, social issues, identity, and more.
- Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new windowSearches several music encyclopedias, including the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz.
- Encyclopedia of ChicagoPhotographs, biographies, essays, art, music, maps and documents on all things Chicago.
Access note: Freely available to the public.
