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Gertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, April 26, 1886 – Columbus, Georgia, December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues. She did much to develop and popularize the form and was an important influence on younger blues women, such as Bessie Smith, and their careers.
She first appeared on stage in Columbus in "A Bunch of Blackberries" at the age of 14. Read Full BioGertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, April 26, 1886 – Columbus, Georgia, December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues. She did much to develop and popularize the form and was an important influence on younger blues women, such as Bessie Smith, and their careers.
She first appeared on stage in Columbus in "A Bunch of Blackberries" at the age of 14. She then joined a traveling vaudeville troupe, the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. After hearing a blues song at a theater in St. Louis sung by a local girl in 1902, she started performing in a blues style. She claimed at that time that she was the one who coined the name "blues" for the style that she specialized in. Musicians and singers who had sang and played in the style said there were no such origins and that the blues had always been. A pioneer in the style, Bunk Johnson said that in the 1880s the blues had already been developed.
She married fellow vaudeville singer William 'Pa' Rainey in 1904, changing her name to Ma Rainey. The pair toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels as Rainey & Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues, singing a mix of blues and popular songs. In 1912, she took the young Bessie Smith into the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, trained her, and worked with her until Smith left in 1915.
Also known, though less discussed, is the fact that she was bisexual. Rainey never shied away from her feelings in her music, as is apparent in the lyrics of "Prove It On Me":
"Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must have been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan, Talk to gals just like any old man
'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me."
Rainey was outspoken on women's issues and a role model for future women entertainers who took control of their own careers.
Ma Rainey was already a veteran performer with decades of touring with African-American shows in the U.S. Southern States when she made her first recordings in 1923. Rainey signed with Paramount Records and, between 1923 and 1928, she recorded 100 songs, sometimes accompanied such jazz notables as Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Fletcher Henderson and others. Rainey was extremely popular among southern blacks in the 1920s, but the Great Depression and changing tastes ended her career by 1933, when she retired.
Rainey died of a heart attack in 1939.
The 1982 August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was based on her.
She first appeared on stage in Columbus in "A Bunch of Blackberries" at the age of 14. Read Full BioGertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, April 26, 1886 – Columbus, Georgia, December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues. She did much to develop and popularize the form and was an important influence on younger blues women, such as Bessie Smith, and their careers.
She first appeared on stage in Columbus in "A Bunch of Blackberries" at the age of 14. She then joined a traveling vaudeville troupe, the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. After hearing a blues song at a theater in St. Louis sung by a local girl in 1902, she started performing in a blues style. She claimed at that time that she was the one who coined the name "blues" for the style that she specialized in. Musicians and singers who had sang and played in the style said there were no such origins and that the blues had always been. A pioneer in the style, Bunk Johnson said that in the 1880s the blues had already been developed.
She married fellow vaudeville singer William 'Pa' Rainey in 1904, changing her name to Ma Rainey. The pair toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels as Rainey & Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues, singing a mix of blues and popular songs. In 1912, she took the young Bessie Smith into the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, trained her, and worked with her until Smith left in 1915.
Also known, though less discussed, is the fact that she was bisexual. Rainey never shied away from her feelings in her music, as is apparent in the lyrics of "Prove It On Me":
"Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must have been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan, Talk to gals just like any old man
'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me."
Rainey was outspoken on women's issues and a role model for future women entertainers who took control of their own careers.
Ma Rainey was already a veteran performer with decades of touring with African-American shows in the U.S. Southern States when she made her first recordings in 1923. Rainey signed with Paramount Records and, between 1923 and 1928, she recorded 100 songs, sometimes accompanied such jazz notables as Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Fletcher Henderson and others. Rainey was extremely popular among southern blacks in the 1920s, but the Great Depression and changing tastes ended her career by 1933, when she retired.
Rainey died of a heart attack in 1939.
The 1982 August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was based on her.
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Dead Drunk Blues
by Ma Rainey
We have lyrics for 'Dead Drunk Blues' by these artists:
Lillian Miller You knowed I was drunk, when I lay down across…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ma Rainey:
"Ma" Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Bad Luck Blues Hey people, listen while I spread my news Hey people,…
Barrel House Blues Got the Barrel house Blues, feeling awfully dry Got th…
Bessemer Bound Blues Woke up this morning : looking for my darn old shoes Becaus…
Big Feeling Blues Ma: "All these many years I've been pleadin' for a…
Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
Black Eye Blues Down in Hogan's Alley lives Miss Nancy Ann Always always fus…
Black Eyed Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
Blues of Blues I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Booze and Blues Went to bed last night and boy I was in…
C C Rider Blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Chain Gang Blues The judge found me guilty, the clerk he wrote it…
Countin Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to…
Daddy Goodbye Blues Met my man this morning Standing in the door When I got…
Deep Moaning Blues Mmmn, mmmn Mmmn, mmmn My bell rang this morning, didn't …
Don't Fish in My Sea My daddy come home this mornin', drunk as he could…
Farewell Daddy Blues 1. I'm wild about my daddy. I want him all…
Hear Me Talking To You Ramblin' man makes no change in me I'm gonna ramble back…
Hustlin' Blues It's rainin' out here and tricks ain't walkin' tonight, (2) …
Jealous Hearted Blues You can have my money, baby, everything I own But for…
Jelly Bean Blues If you ever wake up with your good man on…
Last Minute Blues Minutes seem like hours, hours seem like days Minutes seem…
Lawd, Send Me a Man Blues Who gonna pay my board bill now? Had a good man,…
Ma Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Moonshine Blues I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Oh My Babe Blues Some of these days I'm going to leave my home,…
Oh Papa Blues Just like a rainbow I have faded away My daddy leaves…
Prove It On Me Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seeme…
Screetch Owl Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
See See Rider See see rider , see what you have done, Lord, Lord,…
See see rider blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Sissy Blues I dreamed last night I was far from harm Woke…
Slave To The Blues Ain't robbed no train : ain't done no hanging crime It's th…
Southern Blues House catch on fire and ain't no water 'round If…
Sweet Rough Man I woke up this mornin', my head was sore as…
Walking Blues Woke up this morning, up this morning With my head…
Yonder Come The Blues I worry all day, I worry all night Every time my…
The lyrics can frequently be found here (check the full description and comments) or by filtering for lyric videos.
Help us build the world's largest lyrics collection by contributing lyrics in the comments below.
by Ma Rainey
We have lyrics for 'Dead Drunk Blues' by these artists:
Lillian Miller You knowed I was drunk, when I lay down across…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ma Rainey:
"Ma" Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Bad Luck Blues Hey people, listen while I spread my news Hey people,…
Barrel House Blues Got the Barrel house Blues, feeling awfully dry Got th…
Bessemer Bound Blues Woke up this morning : looking for my darn old shoes Becaus…
Big Feeling Blues Ma: "All these many years I've been pleadin' for a…
Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
Black Eye Blues Down in Hogan's Alley lives Miss Nancy Ann Always always fus…
Black Eyed Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
Blues of Blues I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Booze and Blues Went to bed last night and boy I was in…
C C Rider Blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Chain Gang Blues The judge found me guilty, the clerk he wrote it…
Countin Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to…
Daddy Goodbye Blues Met my man this morning Standing in the door When I got…
Deep Moaning Blues Mmmn, mmmn Mmmn, mmmn My bell rang this morning, didn't …
Don't Fish in My Sea My daddy come home this mornin', drunk as he could…
Farewell Daddy Blues 1. I'm wild about my daddy. I want him all…
Hear Me Talking To You Ramblin' man makes no change in me I'm gonna ramble back…
Hustlin' Blues It's rainin' out here and tricks ain't walkin' tonight, (2) …
Jealous Hearted Blues You can have my money, baby, everything I own But for…
Jelly Bean Blues If you ever wake up with your good man on…
Last Minute Blues Minutes seem like hours, hours seem like days Minutes seem…
Lawd, Send Me a Man Blues Who gonna pay my board bill now? Had a good man,…
Ma Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Moonshine Blues I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Oh My Babe Blues Some of these days I'm going to leave my home,…
Oh Papa Blues Just like a rainbow I have faded away My daddy leaves…
Prove It On Me Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seeme…
Screetch Owl Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
See See Rider See see rider , see what you have done, Lord, Lord,…
See see rider blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Sissy Blues I dreamed last night I was far from harm Woke…
Slave To The Blues Ain't robbed no train : ain't done no hanging crime It's th…
Southern Blues House catch on fire and ain't no water 'round If…
Sweet Rough Man I woke up this mornin', my head was sore as…
Walking Blues Woke up this morning, up this morning With my head…
Yonder Come The Blues I worry all day, I worry all night Every time my…
The lyrics can frequently be found here (check the full description and comments) or by filtering for lyric videos.
Help us build the world's largest lyrics collection by contributing lyrics in the comments below.
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