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277:, who was called "The Empress of the Blues". Mamie found that the mass medium of radio provided a means of gaining additional fans, especially in cities with predominantly white audiences. For example, she and several members of her band performed on KGW in Portland, Oregon in early May 1923 and received positive reviews.
420:, Smith was re-interred at Frederick Douglass Memorial Park in Richmond, New York. Smith's re-interment was celebrated with a gala honoring the late singer on January 27, 1964. However, according to the 2012 campaign website, Mamie Smith still was buried without a headstone 67 years after her death in 1946.
201:
to break the color barrier in black music recording. Okeh
Records recorded many iconic songs by black musicians. Although this was the first recording by a black blues singer, the backing musicians were all white. Hager had received threats from Northern and Southern pressure groups saying they would
407:
Initially, according to the Jas
Obrecht Music Archive website, Smith was buried in an unmarked grave until 1963 when musicians from Iserlohn, West Germany used the money from a Hot Jazz benefit to buy a headstone that read "Mamie Smith (1883â1946): First Lady of the Blues". With the help of fellow
423:
A successful campaign to finally acquire and erect a headstone for Smith was begun in 2012 by
Michael and Anne Fanciullo Cala. The couple, respectively a blues journalist and editor, developed a months-long crowdfunding campaign on the Indiegogo website to purchase a headstone for Smith. The
236:
in the 1890s, they were performing music that had a substantial following among
European-American audiences. The success of Smith's record prompted record companies to seek to record other female blues singers and began the era of what is now known as
459:
213:" and "It's Right Here for You (If You Don't Get It, 'Tain't No Fault of Mine)", again for Okeh Records, A million copies were sold in less than a year. Many were bought by African Americans, and there was a sharp rise in sales of "
427:
The monument was erected with great fanfare at
Frederick Douglass Cemetery in Staten Island, New York on September 20, 2013. Excess funds from the campaign were donated to the cemetery for grounds care.
424:
philanthropy Music Cares also supported the effort. The campaign raised over $ 8,000 that funded the creation of a four-foot-high etched granite headstone featuring an image of the late blues singer.
166:
in 1891. The year of her birth has been given as 1883, but in 2018, researcher John
Jeremiah Sullivan discovered her birth certificate stating she was born in Cincinnati in 1891.
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boycott the company if he recorded a black singer. Despite these threats, the record was a commercial success and opened the door for more black musicians to record.
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When she was around age 10, she found work touring with the Four
Dancing Mitchells, a white act. As a teenager, she danced in
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While recording with the Jazz Hounds, she recorded as Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Band, comprising George Bell, Charles Matson,
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in 1929. She retired from recording and performing in 1931. She returned to performing in 1939 to appear in the movie
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Smith continued to make popular recordings for Okeh throughout the 1920s. In 1924, she made three releases for
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Recording lineups of the Jazz Hounds included (from August 1920 to
October 1921) Jake Green, Curtis Moseley,
84:
189:
On
February 14, 1920, Smith recorded "That Thing Called Love" and "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down" for the
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142:. In 1920, she entered blues history as the first African-American artist to make vocal blues recordings.
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266:. She toured the United States and Europe with the band Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds as part of
238:
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on Staten Island, on ground which remained unmarked until 2013 when a monument was finally erected.
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Smith's biggest hit was recorded on August 10, 1920, when she recorded a set of songs written by
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146:(no relation) described the background of these recordings in his autobiography
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Smith died in 1946 in New York City, reportedly penniless. She was interred at
217:". Because of its historical significance, "Crazy Blues" was inducted into the
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262:, which, while heavily promoted, did not sell well. She made some records for
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99:
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Hollywood Be Thy Name: African
American religion in American Film, 1929â1949
244:
130:; May 26, 1891 â August or September 16, 1946) was an American singer. As a
193:
label in New York City, after African-American songwriter and bandleader
273:
She was billed as "The Queen of the Blues", a billing soon one-upped by
1176:
1076:
32:
712:
Harlem Renaissance Lives from the African American National Biography
613:"Researchers confirm blues legend Mamie Smith was born in Cincinnati"
178:
584:"You've Got to See Mama Ev'ry Night (or You Can't See Mama at All)"
232:
Although other African Americans had been recorded earlier, such as
243:
139:
95:
986:
American Record Labels and Companies: An Encyclopedia (1891â1943)
961:
Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television
163:
135:
640:
Going to Cincinnati: A History of the Blues in the Queen City
1049:
Black Recording Artists, 1877â1926: An Annotated Discography
438:
177:. In 1913, she left the Tutt Brothers to sing in clubs in
738:"The forgotten story of America's first black superstars"
868:. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 154.
963:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 309.
988:. Denver, Colorado: Mainspring Press. pp. 3â4.
134:
singer, she performed in multiple styles, including
105:
91:
74:
54:
44:
39:
23:
221:in 1994 and was selected for preservation in the
1095:". AAREG. 1993, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
1013:(2nd ed.). London: Macmillan. p. 615.
1129:A Headstone for Mamie Smith' Campaign has Ended
815:. University of California Press. p. 287.
181:and married William "Smitty" Smith, a singer.
1199:Mamie Smith and the Birth of the Blues Market
1171:Mamie Smith African American Registry profile
898:. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 226.
895:Early jazz: its roots and musical development
8:
1118:". Jas Obercht Music Archive. June 7, 2010.
1103:
1101:
1052:. pp. 73â122. McFarland. Retrieved May 2013.
1009:Kernfeld, Barry Dean (2002). "Mamie Smith".
366:She also appeared in other films, including
1247:20th-century African-American women singers
840:. Edinburgh University Press. p. 148.
715:. Oxford University Press US. p. 458.
643:. University of Illinois Press. p. 5.
576:"You Can Have Him, I Don't Want Him Blues"
701:
699:
31:
20:
954:
952:
797:The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues
1131:". 1World-1Family.me. August 22, 2013.
1011:The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, vol. 3
859:
857:
662:
660:
489:
1194:with .ram files of her early recordings
1109:Mame Smith: The First Lady of The Blues
760:
758:
598:
347:Smith appeared in the early sound film
296:, and (from June 1922 to January 1923)
709:; Higginbotham, Evelyn Brooks (2009).
606:
604:
602:
480:
16:American vaudeville singer (1891â1946)
1218:" (reworked later as "Harlem Blues").
1067:. pp. 88â106; retrieved May 15, 2013.
866:The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music
678:(2 ed.), Oxford University Press
122:
7:
611:DiTirro, Tessa (November 15, 2018).
268:Mamie Smith's Struttin' Along Review
1287:20th-century American women singers
984:Sutton, Allan; Nauck, Kurt (2000).
1186:Mamie Smith Blues Online Biography
1064:Black Recording Artists, 1877â1926
14:
1202:, NPR.org; accessed May 10, 2018.
546:"You Can't Keep a Good Man Down"
676:The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz
481:Problems playing this file? See
454:
402:Frederick Douglass Memorial Park
1207:Mamie Smith in 1935 film (3:08)
288:, Dope Andrews, Ernest Elliot,
1267:American vaudeville performers
1:
1282:20th-century American singers
1262:Blackface minstrel performers
1192:Mamie Smith on RedHotJazz.com
918:Gates & Higginbotham, p.
838:American Culture in the 1910s
672:"Smith (nÊe Robinson), Mamie"
465:Mamie Smith's performance of
1242:Classic female blues singers
1093:Cincinnati's own Mamie Smith
1046:Gibbs, Craig Martin (2012).
586:
578:
567:
556:
548:
540:
528:
517:
809:Weisenfeld, Judith (2007).
799:. Da Capo Press. pp. 83â84.
359:, produced by her husband,
343:Film career and later years
223:National Recording Registry
1303:
1257:American jazz bandleaders
1033:"Broadcasting from KGW",
771:. Da Capo Press. p.
637:Tracy, Steven C. (1998).
572:
522:
30:
1173:; accessed May 10, 2018.
526:"Fare Thee Honey Blues"
414:Record Research Magazine
248:Gravure of Smith in the
1144:Pop Memories: 1890â1954
1141:Whitburn, Joel (1986).
864:Du Noyer, Paul (2003).
795:Oakley, Gilles (1976).
324:, and Cecil Carpenter.
308:, Herschel Brassfield,
144:Willie "The Lion" Smith
85:Staten Island, New York
1252:American blues singers
565:"Lonesome Mama Blues"
443:
385:Murder on Lenox Avenue
255:
40:Background information
1037:, May 5, 1923, p. 11.
932:"Grammy Hall of Fame"
836:Whalan, Mark (2010).
765:Giles Oakley (1997).
690:registration required
442:
247:
158:Robinson was born in
1277:Ajax Records artists
1272:Okeh Records artists
959:McCann, Bob (2010).
239:classic female blues
1147:. Record Research.
292:, Leroy Parker and
227:Library of Congress
219:Grammy Hall of Fame
1114:2018-08-05 at the
1035:Portland Oregonian
707:Gates, Henry Louis
554:"Dangerous Blues"
536:Royal Garden Blues
444:
396:Death and memorial
390:Because I Love You
356:Paradise in Harlem
256:
171:Salem Tutt Whitney
970:978-0-7864-3790-0
890:Schuller, Gunther
847:978-0-7486-3424-8
822:978-0-520-25100-7
782:978-0-306-80743-5
768:The Devil's Music
736:Lynskey, Dorian.
722:978-0-19-538795-7
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251:New York Clipper
148:Music on My Mind
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410:Victoria Spivey
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379:Stolen Paradise
350:Jailhouse Blues
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333:Jules Levy, Jr.
316:Cutie Perkins,
302:Everett Robbins
298:Coleman Hawkins
290:Porter Grainger
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745:. Retrieved
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668:Oliver, Paul
639:
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622:November 17,
620:. Retrieved
616:
426:
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418:Len Kunstadt
413:
406:
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389:
388:(1941), and
383:
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346:
326:
322:Bubber Miley
279:
275:Bessie Smith
272:
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260:Ajax Records
257:
249:
231:
215:race records
204:
188:
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147:
127:
118:
117:
80:(1946-08-16)
65:May 26, 1891
18:
1237:1946 deaths
1232:1891 births
1216:Crazy Blues
1188:with photos
1177:Mamie Smith
1077:Mamie Smith
742:www.bbc.com
513:Crazy Blues
471:Crazy Blues
450:Crazy Blues
432:Hit records
337:Joe Samuels
306:Johnny Dunn
286:Johnny Dunn
211:Crazy Blues
119:Mamie Smith
25:Mamie Smith
1226:Categories
936:Grammy.org
594:References
483:media help
473:" in 1920.
416:publisher
294:Bob Fuller
199:Fred Hager
197:persuaded
160:Cincinnati
154:Early life
132:vaudeville
106:Occupation
100:vaudeville
61:1891-05-26
46:Birth name
747:April 25,
682:April 22,
318:Joe Smith
229:in 2005.
175:Smart Set
1181:AllMusic
1112:Archived
892:(1986).
392:(1943).
382:(1941),
376:(1940),
370:(1940),
150:(1964).
128:Robinson
1212:YouTube
941:July 6,
496:Single
225:of the
1151:
1017:
992:
967:
902:
872:
844:
819:
779:
719:
647:
264:Victor
254:, 1921
179:Harlem
109:Singer
92:Genres
87:, U.S.
70:, U.S.
573:1923
562:1922
523:1921
508:1920
502:Chart
493:Year
140:blues
96:Blues
1149:ISBN
1081:IMDb
1015:ISBN
990:ISBN
965:ISBN
943:2018
900:ISBN
870:ISBN
842:ISBN
817:ISBN
777:ISBN
773:83/5
749:2021
717:ISBN
684:2010
645:ISBN
624:2018
617:WKRC
469:'s "
412:and
191:Okeh
164:Ohio
138:and
136:jazz
75:Died
55:Born
1210:on
1179:at
1079:at
920:460
587:13
579:13
541:13
173:'s
124:nÊe
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1100:^
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740:.
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670:,
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529:9
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500:US
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270:.
241:.
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1157:.
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998:.
973:.
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908:.
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688:(
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485:.
121:(
63:)
59:(
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