Ed Ward

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles veteran bluesman Z.Z. Hill. Hill's career spanned decades, but took off in the 1980s, just when rap was becoming the dominant form of black music.

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about surf music. The genre's had a resurgence, in part because of it's use in Quentin Tarantino's film "Pulp Fiction."

Rock historian Ed Ward shares some of the worst holiday music from the past few decades.

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about bass player Carol Kaye, who he says, in the early 1960s, "virtually invented electric bass playing."

Rock historian Ed Ward talks about how white fans of the 1960s folk revival sought out long-neglected blues artists.

Rock historian Ed Ward has part four of our five part series on the evolution of blues music in America. He talks about how the regional nature of the blues kept it flourishing during the dawn of rock and roll.

Part three of Ed Ward's series on the history of the blues. He talks about how the realities of post-war life changed the trajectory of the genre.

Music critic Ed Ward has part two in our week long series tracing the evolution of blues music in America. Today, Ed focuses on the growth of the genre after The Depression.

Rock historian Ed Ward begins his five-part series on the history of the blues. Today's installment includes Mamie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Furry Lewis, Blind Willie Johnson, and Tommy Johnson.

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about the music genre known as techno -- a style with roots in black American music, but that took off in Europe.