W.C. Handy

W.C. Handy is one of a handful of musical figures whose influence on American pop music is so vast it's nearly impossible to grasp. While Handy didn't invent the blues -- the style can be traced to the Middle Passage (when West Africans were forcibly shipped to the Americas for slavery) -- his codification of the basic harmonic and rhythmic structures of the blues in the early 20th century through compositions, performances, and publishing (both music and books) most certainly brought the style to a broad, previously unknown audience. His works, which include "Memphis Blues," "St. Louis Blues," and "Beale Street Blues," are cornerstones of the African-American musical tradition. Handy died in 1958, having influenced musical giants such as Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington.