Trixie Smith

Trixie Smith

Source: Yehoodi

Born in Atlanta circa 1885-95, Trixie Smith attended Selma University in Alabama before heading to New York where she began working minstrels and vaudeville. She first recorded circa September 1921 in NYC toward Black Swan 2039 issued in June of 1922: 'Desperate Blues' and 'Trixie's Blues'. A session with James Price Johnson's Harmony Eight followed in March of 1922 for 'You Missed a Good Woman' and 'Long Lost Weary Blues' released on Paramount 12162. A couple titles followed in April before two with the Jazz Masters in September: 'Give Me That Old Slow Drag' and 'My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)'. That was followed in October by what are thought to be her first with her band, the Down Home Syncopators: "I'm Through with You as I Can Be', 'Take It Daddy' and 'Just a Little Bit More'.

Of the four famous early female blues vocalists named Smith, none related, Trixie's rivals who were Bessie, Clara and Mamie were considerably more successful. Which isn't to say, however, that Trixie wasn't. Issuing nearly 50 titles, she shook legs with premiere musicians like Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra in January of 1925 for 'Everybody Loves My Baby' and 'How Come You Do Me Like You Do?'. He joined her Down Home Syncopators the next month for 'You've Got to Beat Me to Keep Me' and 'Mining Camp Blues'.

'Give Me That Old Slow Drag'   Trixie Smith w the Jazz Masters

Piano prob Fletcher Henderson

Recorded c Sep 1922 in NYC   Black Swan 14127

Composition: Tom Delaney

'My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)'   Trixie Smith w the Jazz Masters

Piano prob Fletcher Henderson

Recorded c Sep 1922 in NYC   Black Swan 14127

Composition: J. Berni Barbour

'You've Got to Beat Me to Keep Me'   Trixie Smith w Her Down Home Syncopators

Recorded 9 Feb 1925 in NYC   Paramount 12256

Cornet: Louis Armstrong   Trombone: Charlie Greene   Clarinet: Buster Bailey

Piano: Fletcher Henderson   Banjo: Charlie Dixon

Composition: Porter Grainger

Upon the waning of her career as a blues vocalist in the latter twenties Smith made her living in cabaret and stage revues. She recorded not at all between 1926 and 1938. In the thirties she made four film appearances. On 26 May of 1938 she made several comeback recordings backed by Charlie Shavers (trumpet), Sidney Bechet (clarinet), Sammy Price (piano), Teddy Bunn (guitar), Richard Fullbright (bass) and O'Neil Spencer at drums:

'Freight Train Blues'   Trixie Smith

Recorded 26 May 1938 in NYC   Matrix 63866-A   Vocalion V1006

Composition: Thomas Dorsey / Everett Murphy

'My Daddy Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)'   Trixie Smith

Recorded 26 May 1938 in NYC in Parts 1 & 2   Matrices 63868-A & 63869-A   Vocalion S.235

Composition: J. Berni Barbour

'He May Be Your Man (But He Comes to See Me Sometime)'   Trixie Smith

Recorded 26 May 1938 in NYC   Matrix 63870-A   Decca 7528

Composition: Lemuel Fowler / Perry Bradford

'Jack, I'm Mellow'   Trixie Smith

Recorded 26 May 1938 in NYC   Matrix 63871-A   Decca 7528 / Vocalion S.229

Composition: Lemuel Fowler / Perry Bradford

Tune unidentified   Trixie Smith in the film 'God's Step Children'   1938

Smith's last recording is thought to have been on June 14 of 1939 for 'No Good Man' (Decca 7617) with a group including Henry Red Allen on trumpet and Sid Catlett on drums. That would later get issued on 'Trixie Smith Vol 2 1925-1939'. Unfortunately Smith died relatively young in New York City, age 48, on September 21, 1943. Among her compositions were 'Mining Camp Blues' in 1925 and 'Trixie Blues' in 1938.