The lead sheet for “St. Louis Blues” is available for download as a PDF.

St. Louis Blues

“St. Louis Blues” was written by W. C. Handy in 1914 and published soon after, becoming one of the earliest blues compositions to gain worldwide recognition. Its blend of 12-bar blues with tango and habanera rhythms reflected early 20th-century musical crosscurrents along the Mississippi River.

The song’s stature grew through landmark recordings, notably Bessie Smith’s 1925 version with Louis Armstrong. Adopted by jazz, blues, and popular musicians, it helped bridge folk blues and arranged jazz, shaping how blues entered mainstream culture.

Lead Sheet

The sheet music below is a lead sheet containing the chords and melody of the piece.

Download “Saint Louis Blues” (1 page) as a PDF

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