Unlike specialized "bluesmen," the original songsters were musical polymaths. They were the human jukeboxes of their era, providing entertainment at street corners, medicine shows, and social gatherings.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, a "songster" also referred to a small, pocket-sized book containing the lyrics (and sometimes the music) of popular songs. songster
One of the most famous examples, these collections were widely circulated among pioneers and sailors. Unlike specialized "bluesmen