Blues and Jazz: the feminine gender

Blues women who created their own pedestals…

Bessie Smith (“Empress of the Blues”): The most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s, she commanded immense power, ran her own extravagant touring show, and became the highest-paid Black entertainer of her day. She wrote many of her songs, which stressed independence and fearlessness.

https://youtu.be/1VKEKkTQU-k
Tain’t Nobody Business If I Do (Bessie Smith)

Bessie Smith Blues

Transgender Dysphoria Blues

Ma Rainey (“Mother of the Blues”): A pioneer who bridged vaudeville and authentic Southern blues, she and her husband formed their own successful touring group, “Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues”. She was known for her powerful stage presence, wrote about one-third of her own songs, and later retired to manage her own theaters.

https://youtu.be/K2SYdGzEKDs
Ladies Sing The Blues – Best Of Female Blues Vocalists

Mamie Smith: She made history in 1920 with “Crazy Blues,” the first blues vocal recording by an African-American artist, which was a massive commercial success and launched the era of classic female blues. She was an astute businesswoman who took charge of her career.

https://youtu.be/3LhpwL-iHyM
Don’t Care Blues – Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds

Memphis Minnie: A formidable guitarist, singer, and songwriter in a male-dominated field, she presented herself as ladylike in public but was known for her grit and never backed down from a challenge. She co-wrote the original version of “When the Levee Breaks”.

https://youtu.be/AueZSrRKILQ?list=RDEMBIua9yPJ0iASpnkO5p000A
Hound Dog (1) · Big Mama Thornton · Jerry Leiber · Mike Stoller

Big Mama Thornton: Known for her booming voice and powerful stage presence, she was the original artist to record “Hound Dog” and wrote the original song “Ball and Chain,” both later made famous by Elvis Presley and Janis Joplin, respectively. She brought a raw energy that inspired the rock ‘n’ roll era.

https://youtu.be/xFzBS2oBN9A
Ruth Brown – The Best Of Vol 1

Ruth Brown: Known as the “Queen of R&B,” she helped build Atlantic Records and later used her influence to press for musicians’ rights regarding royalties and contracts, which led to the founding of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.

https://youtu.be/3NFywQdeKSo?list=RD3NFywQdeKSo
Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Didn’t it rain, children

Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Often called the “Godmother of Rock and Roll,” she was a gospel-blues pioneer known for her electric guitar playing, influencing legends like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Johnny Cash.

12 Women Who Changed The Blues

These women were not passively placed on a “pedestal”; they actively forged their paths, demanded respect, and left an indelible mark on American music history.

•Notable Women of The Blues

Sippie Wallace:
Born Beulah Thomas in 1898 in Houston, Texas, Sippie Wallace was surrounded by music from a young age. She grew up in a church-going family, and gospel music laid the foundation for her future musical endeavors. But while spirituals nurtured her soul, it was the Blues that truly set her spirit on fire. By the age of fifteen, she was performing in local shows and quickly establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with.

https://youtu.be/rf9gvuVXt0U?t=4
Sippie Wallace – Women Be Wise

https://blueschronicles.com/the-untold-stories-of-legendary-women-in-blues-music-history

The Wordsmith Collection: Writing & Creative Arts

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