Boogie-Woogie is a piano rhythm style in 4/4 or common time which features a flowing bass line of eighth notes. This style was developed around the turn of the 20th century by African American piano players in the dance halls of northeast and southeast Texas. In those early days it was called “Fast Western” rhythm. It was later referred to as “Eight to the Bar” rhythm. From the beginning, it was popular with those who went to the halls and honky-tonks to dance. Beginning in the late 1930s, it began to be heard in Jazz, Popular, Big Band, Western Swing, Country (even in Bluegrass), and Jump Blues music.

For its second 78 rpm release in 1939, the fledgling Blue Note record label chose a Boogie-Woogie piano duet by Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis entitled “Boogie-Woogie Stomp”.

Ten years after the release of this record, everybody in the popular music business had appropriated Boogie-Woogie, and beginning in 1954, in its various forms, it became the rhythm track for 1950s Rock & Roll.

Rock on!

Mike