Since the second decade of the 20th century, there has been British fascination with the blues, originally by jazz record collectors, later through encounters with American servicemen in WWII, then through the American and British folk revivals of the 1940s-1960s, the skiffle craze of the late 1950s, and more. Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, and Eric Burdon attended the English concerts of the first American Folk Blues Festival of 1962. These concerts had a massive influence on the explosion of British blues-based rock bands. Sonny Boy Williamson’s appearance on the festival tour resulted in a yearlong European tour and recordings with The Animals and The Yardbirds.

Display contents:

• Bye Bye Bird / The Moody Blues. London [1966] •Sonny Boy Blow / John Mayall. London [1969]
• On the Scene at the Cavern / written and compiled by Allstair Griffin
• Jimmy Page Special Early Works featuring Sonny Boy Williamson. Springboard [1975]
• First Rhythm and Blues Festival. Gambit [no date]
• The Night Time is the Right Time / Sonny Boy Williamson and the Animals. Springboard [1976]
• Winwood and Friends / Steve Winwood. Springboard [1972]
• Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds Live with Sonny Boy Williamson. Fontana.
• Jam Session / Jimmy Page, Sonny Boy Williamson, Brian Auger
• Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds. Phillips [1971]
• The Animals with Sonnyboy Williamson. Charly [1975]

Display contents:

• original concert tour program, American Folk Blues Festival '68, open to pages 2-3
• sheet music, Eyesight to the Blind from the film Tommy (1975)
• tickets/ephemera for Sonny Boy Williamson playing with the Yardbirds in the U.K.

Materials from the American Folk Blues Festival in 1963, 1964, 1965.

Organized by concert promoters Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau, the American Folk Blues Festival (1962-1970, 1972, 1980-1983, and 1985) introduced European audiences to a large number of blues performers like Sonny Boy Williamson II, Koko Taylor, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Sippie Wallace, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, and many more.