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Whatever your clients’ musical tastes, they won’t go hungry in the US. The story of popular music as we know it began here, when West African slaves landed in New Orleans in the 18th century. Slave spirituals evolved into jazz and blues, and mixed with a rich melting pot of styles, from the French Arcadian and Cajun Zydeco, to Scots and Irish-influenced bluegrass and country.

Local music slowly snaked its way up Highway 61 – famously revisited by Bob Dylan in 1965 – and west on the Mother Road, Route 66, but it wasn’t until a young southerner named Elvis began recording that the world pricked up its ears.

Wherever you are in the US today, you’re not that far from a local style worth listening to. Here are a few of our favourites for a musical break.

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana.

Why: you can’t go far wrong in the ‘cradle of jazz’ but give Bourbon Street a miss, as these days it caters mainly to booze-cruising revellers. Storyville District is one of the better places to hear the real deal. Head for St Peter’s Street, where there are a number of clubs including the Jazz Preservation Hall, a worthy New Orleans institution.

If you want to hang with the local aficionados try Frenchman’s Street, just outside the French Quarter. One of the best places there is the Spotted Cat. Jazz Fest, held in late April/early May, is not only one of the world’s premier festivals but also showcases other southern music styles. Don’t miss the Jazz Brunch every morning at the Court of Two Sisters in the heart of the French Quarter on Royal Street.

Sample product: Premier Holidays offers seven nights in New Orleans from £598 per person, including flights with Delta from Gatwick or Manchester.

Where: Austin, Texas.

Why: Texas is more often associated with country music than rock, but its state capital has one of the coolest rock music scenes in the US. The city calls itself the ‘live music capital of the world’, and in March is home to the South by Southwest festival, one of the world’s top music industry gatherings. The rest of the year a vast range of rock talent can be heard at any number of clubs – there are 200 live music venues to choose from. Many of these are around 6th and Red River streets.

Another cool area to rock the night away is Guadalope Street, otherwise know as the Drag. Bordering the University of Texas, where Janis Joplin was once a student, this is true slacker territory. If you can get tickets, check out Austin City Limits – the public television live music showcase. See the website pbs.org/klru for details.

Sample product: Gold Medal Travel offers the 10-night Big Big Texas Flydrive, which includes three nights in Austin, from £900 per person including flights and car hire.

Where: Nashville, Tennessee.

Why: it’s the country music capital of the world. The legendary Grand Ole Opry country music television show used to be held at the Ryman Auditorium – the ‘mother church’ of country music – but has moved to Opryland in Music Valley. This vast complex includes the Grand Ole Opry House, the Opry Mills shopping mall and the Opryland Hotel, with its cascading waterfalls, boat rides and elevated walkways above the rainforest canopy.

The new Country Music Hall of Fame is a must-see with such delights on show as Elvis Presley’s custom-made Cadillac. You can cut your own Elvis track in RCA Studio B, where The King recorded many of his hits. The city is awash with clubs and bars – one favourite is the Station Inn, which also has some of the best and most authentic bluegrass music you are likely to hear. And Nashville is just a few hours’ drive from Memphis, the Mississippi Delta and Tupelo, Elvis’ birthplace.

Sample product: North America Travel Service offers a package including flights from Gatwick or Manchester, four nights in Nashville, three nights in Memphis and seven days’ Alamo Gold car hire from £795 per person.

Where: Chicago, Illinois.

Why: although the blues originated in the Mississippi Delta, it gradually made its way up Highway 61 before finding a home from home in the Windy City.

Since Muddy Waters arrived in 1943 the blues has been a Chicago institution, resonating throughout the city and even influencing fledgling rock bands such as the Rolling Stones. The Chicago Blues Festival (June 9-12) held in Grant Park is the world’s largest annual blues festival, attracting more than half a million people.

There are a plethora of clubs to choose from in Chicago. Many people head for the city’s South Side, but downtown it’s just as easy to find top-class acts. Chicago being the home town of The Blues Brothers, it’s only right that Dan Aykroyd has a club, the House of Blues on N Dearborn St, which features top-notch players. Adjacent is a hotel of the same name and many of the bluesmen stay there.

Other top clubs include Blue Chicago (N Clark St) and Buddy Guy’s Legends (S Wabash Av). Chicago is also a great jazz, hip-hop, soul and gospel venue and the Hard Rock Hotel, located in a stunning Art Deco building, even has a chilled-out ‘vibe’ manager to help you keep cool, man...

Sample product: America As You Like It offers four nights in Chicago at the House of Blues Hotel, including flights with United Airlines from £580 per person.

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