reprinted from Doug VanBuren
Scott Yanow, author of 11 jazz books and over 900 CD liner notes, wrote an article for Syncopated Times titled: The Blues-Singing Smiths: Mamie, Clara, Trixie, and Laura. That got the author to researching all the female blues singers from the 1920s-1940s named Smith; none related. Some were legendary (Bessie); some were obscure (Laura). Because some have no chronological biography, here they are in no particular order: Mamie, Clara, Trixie, Bessie, Clementine, Hazel, Ivy, Laura, and Mabel.
- Clara Smith was born in Spartanburg, SC, in 1894. She never attended school but was literate with a sweet and powerful voice. She recorded about 125 sides from 1923-1932 for Columbia and was billed as “The Queen of the Moaners.” Clara recorded with pioneers, pianist Fletcher Henderson, sax man Coleman Hawkins, and cornetist, Louis Armstrong.
- Trixie Smith was the only educated singer in this group, having attended Selma University. She dropped out in 1895, moving to New York to become a singer, comedian, dancer, and actress in vaudeville, Broadway, and minstrel shows. She won a talent contest for blues singers with a recording contract for the Black-owned Black Swan label. She is best known for recording “My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll),” the naughty song praised for its pre-history lyrics of rock n’ roll.
- Bessie (born Elizabeth) Smith was the youngest of 7, born in 1894 in Chattanooga, TN. “Down Hearted Blues” was a million seller for her and the first of 15 songs charting nationally over her career, all with Columbia records. Three of Bessie’s songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Empty Bed Blues, 1983; The St. Louis Blues, 1993, and Down Hearted Blues in 2006. The “Empress of the Blues” died in a car accident in 1937 at age 42.
- Clementine Smith (nee Helen R. Gross) recorded for Pathe, Actuelle, and Perfect records, and possibly Banner records, but there is some confusion with another vocalist. Document CD, DOCD 5518, Female Blues Singers, Vol. 14 (1923-1932) contains 5 of her songs.
- Hazel Smith’s background information is sketchy and could only be found on a King Oliver compilation, “King Oliver Blues Singers & Hot Bands on OKeh (1924-25) Frog DGF 68. Hazel Smith’s 2 songs on this album are “Get Up Off Your Knees” and the “West End Blues”, a song forever tied to Louis Armstrong.
- Ivy Smith was associated with Cow Cow Davenport from 1927-1930, following Dora Carr as his vocalist. She later sang solo for Paramount records.
- Laura Smith (nee Loretta Bryant) was born in 1882 and a remembered song by her was Dentist Chair Blues. It’s included on Document 5429 “Laura Smith 1924-1927.”
- Mabel Smith was born in 1924 in Jackson, TN. She was professionally known as Big Maybelle. She was a vocalist and pianist for an all-girl orchestra, Sweethearts of Rhythm. One of the few true blues singers after the 1930s, like Dinah Washington and Koko Taylor, she recorded with bandleader Tiny Bradshaw from 1947-1950. OKeh 4-7060, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, produced by a very young Quincy Jones in 1955, and was the song for which she would always be remembered. In 1957, a young white boogie piano teen named Jerry Lee Lewis would alter the lyrics and add a boogie piano bridge to create a still popular Rock ‘n’ Roll classic.
- There was one more Smith, born in 1907 as Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, who was a white pop and patriotic singer who became Kate Smith and memorialized Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” But that’s another story.