* Lack of documentation. Many early blues artists were not literate, and as a result, they did not have written contracts with their record companies. This made it difficult for the record companies to keep track of what the artists were owed.
* Unfair contracts. Even when early blues artists did have contracts, they were often unfair to the artists. The contracts typically gave the record companies a large share of the profits, and they often did not require the record companies to pay royalties to the artists.
* Segregation. The Jim Crow laws of the time made it difficult for African-American artists to travel and perform, which limited their earning potential. Record companies were unwilling to invest in black artists or sign them to lucrative contracts due to concerns over racism and violence.
* Lack of resources. The record industry was still in its early stages, and the record companies did not have the resources to send royalty payments to all of their artists.
As a result of these factors, many early blues artists did not receive the royalties that they were owed. This made it difficult for them to make a living from their music, and it contributed to the poverty that many of them experienced.