Really not trying to be snotty, but it is interesting to digest the opinions of folks who were possibly introduced to the blues by Butterfield, Bloomfield, Clapton, Mayall, SRV, etc. As I indicated earlier, my personal interest/standards were established before these guys were on the scene. In my earlier post (#43 for the interested) I neglected to mention Luther Tucker, Hubert Sumlin, Louis Myers, Jimmy Rogers, and a host of other sidemen.
I should say I consider "the blues" to be a vocal music with instrumental "commentary".