[1] According to musician and historian Stefan Grossman, "holy blues" was coined to originally describe Reverend Gary Davis's style of traditional blues playing with lyrics conveying a religious message.
[2] Davis and Blind Willie Johnson are considered the genre's two dominant performers, according to Dick Weissman.
[1] Other notable gospel-blues performers include Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Washington Phillips.
[3] Blues musicians who became devout, or even practicing clergy, include Reverend Robert Wilkins and Ishman Bracey.
[6] Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charley Patton released gospel song under a pseudonym.