Gertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, Apr… Read Full Bio ↴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. 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.

Lawd Send Me a Blues
Ma Rainey Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Ma Rainey:

"Ma" Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Am I Blue Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to…
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 Bottom Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Black Cat Hoot Owl 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…
Blame It on the Blues I′m so sad and worried got no time to spread…
Blues of Blues I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Bo Weavil Blues Hey, hey, bo-weevil, don't sing them blues no more Hey, hey,…
Booze and Blues Went to bed last night and boy I was in…
Broken Hearted Blues Lord I wonder what is it worryin' me Lord I wonder…
C C Rider Blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Cell Bound Blues Met my man this morning Standing in the door When I got…
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…
Dead Drunk Blues "Spoken": My man is freakish drunk This mornin'. Daddy say, …
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…
Down in the Basement I'm wild about my daddy. I want him all the…
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) …
In My Girlish Days Late hours at night, trying to play my hand Through…
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,…
Louisiana Hoo Doo Blues Going to the Louisiana bottom to get me a hoodoo…
Low Rider s Blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Ma and Pa Poorhouse Blues Ma: Hello there, Charlie Charlie: Hello, Ma Ma: Charlie, whe…
Ma Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Misery Blues I love my brownskin 'deed I do Folks I know you…
Moonshine Blue 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…
OhPapa Blues Loca (Loca) Loca Dance or die Loca (Loca) She′s playin' dum…
Prove It On Me Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seeme…
Rough And Tumble Blues I'm going to the Western Union, type the news all…
Runaway Blues I'll run away tomorrow They don't mean me no good I'll run…
Screech Owl Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
See See Rider see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Shave 'Em Dry Blues There′s one thing I don't understand Why a good-Iookin′ woma…
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…
Sleep Talking Blues You got a bad habit, daddy, talkin' in your sleep You…
Sleepy My Blues Won't you be my chauffeur Won't you be my…
South Bound Blues Yes, I′m mad, my heart's sad The man I loved treated…
Southern Blues House catch on fire and ain't no water 'round If…
Stormy Sea Blues Rainin′ on the ocean, it's stormin′ on the sea Rainin' on…
Sweet Rough Man I woke up this mornin', my head was sore as…
Titanic Man Blues Everybody fall in line Gonna tell you 'bout that man o'…
Tough Luck Blues When a black cat crosses you, bad luck I heard…
Traveling Blues Train′s at the station, I heard the whistle blow The train's…
Travelling Blues Train's at the station, I heard the whistle blow The tr…
Walking Blues Woke up this morning, up this morning With my head…
Wringing And Twisting Blues I had my fortune told, and the gypsy took my…

Yonder Come The Blues I worry all day, I worry all night Every time my…

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