Mamie Smith

Mamie Smith

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1883, Mamie Smith ("Queen of the Blues"), a vaudeville singer, was the first black woman to record vocal blues. Of the four famous early female blues vocalists named Smith, none related, Mamie's biggest rivals were Bessie and Clara, Trixie not so much. Mamie had begun her career at age ten by joining a dancing troupe called the Four Dancing Mitchells. She then joined a troupe called the Smart Set. In 1913 she began singing in clubs in Harlem. Smith laid out her first title on Jan 10, 1920, an unissued test recording of 'That Thing Called Love'' with Smith on piano and vocals. That went down again on Valentine's Day with Smith backed by the Rega Orchestra toward the July release of 'That Thing Called Love' / 'You Can ́t Keep a Good Man Down' on Okeh 4113, those with Frank Banta on piano.

Smith's next session on August 20 was with her Jazz Hounds toward 'Crazy Blues' / 'It ́s Right Here For You (If You Don't Get It Tain't No Fault of Mine)' released on Okeh 4169 in October. Mamie's third session of 1920 was on September 12 toward the December issue of 'Fare Thee Honey Blues' / 'The Road Is Rocky (But I Am Gonna Find My Way)' (Okeh 4194). Her final sessions in 1920 were held on November 6 and 7 toward 'Memories of You, Mammy' / 'If You Don't Want Me Blues' (Okeh 4228) and 'Don ́t Care Blues' / 'Lovin ́ Sam From Alabam' (Okeh 4253) released the next year.

"Blues" was only beginning to be used as a term at the time Smith started recording. WC Handy's 1914 'Yellow Dog Rag' saw recording as 'Yellow Dog Blues' in 1919. Having little notion how well Smith and her Jazz Hounds would do in a threefold brand new market (black female blues), no doubt someone uttered an awakened "Wow!" as 'Crazy Blues' headed toward a million copies sold. Upon the great success of 'Crazy Blues' Smith continued recording as she toured both the United States and Europe with her Hounds.

Charting at #3 in December 1920, it wasn't 'Crazy Blues' alone, Smith's best-selling title overall, which fairly created the genre and market for black female blues vocalists. Music VF lists eight titles climbing to #13 or higher including four more that achieved the Top Ten: 'Fare Thee Honey Blues' (above), 'You Can't Keep a Good Man Down' (above), 'Dangerous Blues' in 1921 and 'Lonesome Mama Blues' in 1922. Popular music (: ragtime) had dominated the popularity charts for the last thirty years since the inception of commercial recording until the Original Dixieland Jazz Band started recording jazz in 1917. Now blues were developing a healthy audience on disc. Data below is largely a mixture DAHR, Harlem Fuss and Tom Lord [refs below].

'Crazy Blues'   Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds

Recorded 10 August 1920 in NYC   Okeh 4169 / Columbia C3L33   Charts: #3 Dec 1920

Trumpet: Addington Major Perry   Trombone: Dope Andrews

Clarinet: Bob Fuller   Piano: Willie Smith  Violin: Leroy Parker

Composition: Perry Bradford

'Wang, Wang Blues'   Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds

Recorded 5 Sep 1921 in NYC   Okeh 4445

Trumpet: Julius Berkin   Clarinet / alto sax: Nathan Glantz   Violin: Joseph Samuels

Music: Busse  / Mueller / Johnson   Lyrics: Leo Wood

'Goin' Crazy With the Blues'   Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds

Recorded 27 August 1926 in NYC   Victor 20210

Cornet: Tom Morris   Trombone: Charlie Irvis   Clarinet: Bob Fuller

Piano: Mike Jackson   Banjo: Buddy Christian

Composition: Andy Razaf / J.C. Johnson

'My Sportin' Man'   Mamie Smith w Billy Fowler & His Orchestra

Recorded 30 March 1929 in NYC

Not issued until 1992 on 'Roots N' Blues: The Retrospective (1925-1950)'   Columbia C4K 47911 CD

Trumpet: Jacques "Jack" Butler   Clarinet / alto sax: George Scott

Piano: Gene Rodgers   Banjo / guitar: Eddie Gibbs   Drums: Herbert Cowans

Composition: Andy Razaf / J.C. Johnson

Smith made her debut film appearance in 'Jailhouse Blues' in 1929.

'Jail House Blues'   Mamie Smith   Film released 19 June 1929

Composition: Clarence Williams / Bessie Smith

'Jenny's Ball'   Mamie Smith

Recorded 19 Feb 1931 in NYC   Okeh 8915

Trumpet: Bill Dillard or Ward Pinkett   Trombone: Jimmy Archey   Alto sax: Fred Skerritt

Tenor sax: Henry Jones or Bingie Madison   Piano: Gene Rodgers

Banjo: Goldie Lucas   Bass: Richard Fullbright   Drums: Bill Beason

Composition: Quintin Redd

'Lord, I Love That Man'   Mamie Smith

From the film 'Paradise In Harlem' released Dec 1939

'Harlem Blues' (aka 'Crazy Blues')   Mamie Smith w the Juanite Hall Singers

From the film 'Paradise In Harlem' released Dec 1939

Composition: Perry Bradford

Mamie's last known recording was also for film, 'Lord! Lord!' in 1942 with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra for the short feature, 'Because I Love You'. That would later get issued on 'Mamie Smith Vol 5: Goin' Crazy With The Blues' (1924-1942). Smith passed away in Staten Island, New York, on September 16, 1946. Though she had sold a lot of records in her younger days she died poor, buried in an unmarked grave until 2013.