At the roots of the blues and gospel are field hollers and ring shouts that used to be sung in fields and churches across the South.

Work songs and field hollers were popular, but it was spirituals which became a major foundation for music in the 20th century.

The earliest versions were likely field hollers and other work songs performed by African-American laborers.

And the immediate origins of the blues, Mr. Wald writes, are most likely in black vaudeville, not in field hollers.

The techno star Moby's hit album "Play" is filled with samples from old spirituals, blues and field hollers.

"The harmonica parallels American history: field hollers, blues, the hoedown, the front porch," Mr. Bonfiglio said.

Before Buford had finished the cupful of whiskey he got mellow and sang for us--old-time blues and field hollers.

A form of this pre-blues was heard in slave ring shouts and field hollers, expanded into "simple solo songs laden with emotional content".

The first slaves in the United States sang work songs, and field hollers.

It was from these roots, of spiritual songs, work songs and field hollers, that blues, jazz and gospel developed.