Ladies of the Blues, Part 1
Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ida Cox
by Don Erickson
This month's article features the very first recording artists of the
blues - the many talented women who sang in the vaudeville houses that
became popular in the years following World War I. Even though the first
blues song was probably performed as early as the turn of the century,
the first recording of blues wasn't until 1920. There is a general
agreement that the first recording was "Crazy Blues" by Mamie
Smith (b. 1883, d. 1946). Since the recording industry had kept black
American musicians from benefitting from their talent, it was a truly
ground-breaking event when Smith first appeared on records. She was 37
at the time and was already a veteran dancer, chorus girl and cabaret
singer. Her first records sold exceptionally well and paved the way for
many other black ladies of vaudeville. Some of the women who were able
to supplement their income via recording were Lucille Hegamin, Trixie
Smith, Mary Stafford, Ethel Waters and Edith Wilson.
Even though, at the time, most people in New York's Harlem district
showed little interest in blues, almost all of the recordings took place
in New York. People began to take notice after the early success of
"Crazy Blues", Ethel Water's "Down Home Blues" and
Lucille Hegamin's "Arkansas Blues".
Atlanta native Trixie Smith was successful at bringing traditional
elements into new compositions and helped non-vaudeville blues become
popular outside New York. However, her impact was slight compared to
that of Bessie Smith, whose efforts in 1923 captures depths of emotion
not heard on records until then.
Truly a legend of the blues, Bessie Smith's first recording was a remake
of Alberta Hunter's "Down Hearted Blues" for Columbia Records.
Her producer was Frank Walker, whose judgment paid off after several
other record companies had passed on the opportunity to record her.
(Frank Walker definitely was an astute judge of what would sell, as he
was the man who signed the legendary country artist, Hank Williams years
later).
Bessie Smith usually was accompanied by only two or three musicians, but
some of her best work was with larger groups, most notably the orchestra
of pianist Fletcher Henderson. Some of the talented soloists who played
with Bessie included cornetists Joe Smith and the legendary Louis
Armstrong. Trombonist Charlie Green also provided many memorable moments
on her recordings. Unfortunately, Bessie died in a car accident in 1936.
One of the earliest performers of the blues was Gertrude Pridgett
"Ma" Rainey (b. 1886, d. 1939). She had worked the stages of
carnivals, minstrel shows and other tent shows that were the forums for
black entertainers in the South around the turn of the century. She told
of her first encounter with what she later descibed as "The
Blues". In 1902, Rainey was appearing at a tent show in a small
Missouri town when she heard a girl from the town sing a song about a
man who had left her. The song captured the people's attention because
of its unique poignancy. "Ma" Rainey learned the tune and
received such good response from it, she regularly used it as an encore
in her act.
She became a very important early champion of the blues, helping to
introduce the style to audiences across the South and Midwest.
Unfortunately, her recordings had an inferior sound compared to the
quality of Bessie Smith's releases.
Ida Cox toured with some of the same shows as "Ma" Rainey,
prior to both of them recording for Paramount in 1923. A gifted blues
poet, Ida Cox often utilized themes of death in her works, including
"Graveyard Dream Blues", "Bone Orchard Blues" and
"Death Letter Blues".
Some of her works had more ubeat themes, as she was the first to record
lyrics celebrating the music and nightlife of New Orleans. Another of
her memorable songs was "Wild Women Don't Have the Blues".
Some of you may be familiar with the cover of Cox's "Four Day
Creep" by the blues-rock band Humble Pie, withthe line "I want
you to love me...make the hair stand on my head!" Indeed.
This feature on the ladies of the early blues will conclude next month.
Reprinted with permission from the January 1997 issue of the Blues Crier
