Wild Women Don't Have No Blues

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Believe it or not, there was a time when women ruled the Blues. Ma Rainey's name may be the most popular but , she was by no means a solitary success. The roaring 20's was fertile ground for the bold and bodacious black women of the Blues.

Mamie Smith ( no relation to Bessie) became the first Blues artist to sell 1,million records in one year. The hit song "Crazy Blues" earned Mamie a contract with Okeh records. Mamie was a singer, dancer, actress and pianist performing in vaudeville and recording throughout the 1920's. The unprecedented success of "Crazy Blues" prompted other record companies to sign on African American blues women.

This was the time when women ruled the Blues.
When most women were hoping a man would take care of them, these women were bringing home the bacon and frying it too.

 
The demand for African American blues women would continue into the the next decade. However, the advent of radio would force them to adapt to the current trends and styles. This helped to bring Blues to a wider audience.

To be continued...