Boogie-woogie

Boogie-woogie, also known as boogie, is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, but had already developed in African-American communities since the 1870s. It was eventually extended from piano to piano duo and trio, guitar, big band, country and western, and gospel. While standard blues traditionally expresses a variety of emotions, boogie-woogie is mainly dance music (although not usually played for the competitive dance known as boogie-woogie, a term of convenience in that sport). The genre had a significant influence on rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

In Texas, a piano style arose known as "fast western," often credited as the origin of boogie-woogie. The basic boogie-woogie rhythm, which was an outgrowth of ragtime and rural blues, intentionally evoked the rhythmic clacking of steam locomotives throughout the Deep South.