"It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character"

James Weldon Johnson's quote, "It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character", speaks volumes about the profound impact the blues genre has had on shaping American music. To analyze this, we need to first consider the roots and essence of the blues.

Coming from the African American neighborhoods of the Deep South in the late 19th century, the blues became a form of musical expression for dealing with life's battles and expressing deep, typically uncomfortable, emotions. The genre's structure, characterized by its distinct chord progressions and lyrical styles, often talks to styles of sadness, resilience, and hope. This essential rawness and credibility provided the blues its power to communicate intense sensations.

Johnson's quote highlights the foundational function of the blues in establishing the distinct sonic identity of American music. The blues provided a bedrock upon which various other categories were developed or deeply affected. Jazz, rock-and-roll, rhythm and blues (R&B), and even hip-hop all owe a debt to the blues. Jazz obtained the improvisational and psychological components; rock-and-roll drew from its rhythm and raw energy, while R&B absorbed its depth of sensation and narrative style.

Additionally, Johnson's assertion can be viewed as an acknowledgment of the cultural cross-pollination helped with by the blues. As the blues spread across the United States, it merged with other musical kinds and traditions, adding to a vibrant exchange of cultural influences that is definitely American.

In essence, by describing the blues as the source of American music's "most unique character", Johnson underscores the genre's transformative power and its capacity to show and shape the American experience. This reflection of diverse societal concerns, cultural resilience, and psychological authenticity captured through the blues is what Johnson celebrates as main to the American musical identity.