Mamie Smith

Mamie Smith ( born May 26, 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio as Mamie Robinson, † October 30, 1946 in New York) was an American vaudeville singer, dancer, pianist and actress. She was the first one in 1920 sung blues recorded.

Life and work

Mamie Smith went about with African-American vaudeville and minstrel shows until 1913 and settled in New York where she worked as a cabaret singer. In 1918 she appeared in Harlem in Perry Bradford's musical Made.

1920 Smith jumped at Okeh Records for Sophie Tucker fell ill and took up the pieces That Thing Called Love and You Can not Keep A Good Man Down. She was invited to a second meeting at which their Jazz Hounds on August 10, 1920, the title Crazy Blues and It's Right Here For You, If You Do not Get It, ' Tain't No Fault of Mine were taken. The Jazz Hounds were at this time Johnny Dunn on the cornet, Dope Andrews on trombone, Leroy Parker on violin and Willie "The Lion" Smith on piano. The Jazz Hounds also belonged to Buster Bailey, Coleman Hawkins, Cecil Carpenter, Elmer Snowden and Bubber Miley.

Crazy Blues sold to the surprise of all was the first blues recording of a black artist more than a million copies within a year. Many buyers were African American, a far more unnoticed market. This unexpected success led the record company to take more blues singers and usher in the era of so classic women blues.

There were other blues recordings and tours in the States and Europe with Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds as part of the revue Mamie Smith's Struttin 'Along Review. Mamie Smith was given the nickname "Queen of the Blues" (Queen of the Blues ).

1929 Smith played a role in an early sound film, Jail House Blues. In 1931 she retired from the music and film business. From 1939 she again played with in several movies.

Mamie Smith died in 1946 after a long illness in New York.

OKeh - 78s Mamie Smith " Royal Garden Blues"