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Nina Simone - Gin House Blues

Although the story thus far is about music, the point of this story is universal, it is about human interaction. More specifically, diverse interaction and how that interaction, when channeled correctly, can drive innovation that can make a positive and principled difference not only in business but also in society. This idea is supported by both science and research.

We can see this concept in our exploration of Blues music. The network was indeed malleable as each artist adopted new configurations of the music they experienced... And although the network was small at the start of the 20th century, limited to black Americans in the southeastern US, a result of racial segregation, it became larger over time... Racial diversity among those who listened to the Blues in Chicago and other cities helped to drive the Blues into the mainstream.

Throughout the early 1900s, Clarksdale became ground zero for the Delta Blues as it attracted talented artists who are still famous today. Each of these artists brought their own unique flavor to the Delta Blues, enabling it to evolve as the artists interacted with each other... Inspired by that guitarist, his historical experiences and other local artists, W.C. Handy continued to produce music and in 1912 published Memphis Blues, the first known title with the word Blues in it.
Source: What the Blues can teach us about innovation and the power of diverse interactions by Michael Wall


Nina Simone - Gin House Blues
  • Written by: J. C. Johnson
  • Released on: Forbidden Fruit album
  • Recorded in: 1961

"Nina Simone sold over one million CDs in the last decade of her life, making her a global catalog best seller. With music spanning over four decades, Nina Simone's library is made up of more than 40 original albums."

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