Thousands of photos depict Chicago blues scene at exhibit

CHICAGO (AP) - Two decades worth of photos depicting Chicago’s lively blues scene will soon be available to the public.

The Chicago History Museum says it will release over 45,000 photos and papers related to the relatively unknown music photographer Raeburn Flerlage (RAY’-bern FLUR’-lej).

Flerlage is one of the few to document the city’s blues scene. He has captured some of Chicago’s most instrumental blues players in their prime. They include Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King. He also documented the city’s developing folk scene in the 1960s, photographing Bob Dylan and Joan Baez (BYE’-ehz).

Flerlage’s work inspired the museum’s exhibition “Amplified: Chicago Blues.” The exhibit opens April 7 and uses the photographer’s snapshots to showcase how Chicago’s blues scene gained worldwide recognition.