1. TESSA BUEHNER Gertrude “Ma” Rainey “Mother of the Blues”

2. Ma Rainey Born on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia Parents are Thomas Pridgett Sr. and Ella Allen- Pridgett Birth name: Gertrude Pridgett Known as “Mother of the Blues”

3. Early Career In 1900, Rainey worked at the Springer Opera House Worked as a performer Danced and sang in the local talent show She later began to travel with Minstrel and Vaudeville shows

4. Minstrel and Vaudeville shows These shows were a way of American entertainment They include:  Comic skits  A variety of acts  Dancing and music These acts were individual unrelated acts

5. William Rainey In 1904, Ma Rainey met the manager for the vaudeville and minstrel shows, William Rainey Gertrude and William got married later that same year Became “Ma” and “Pa” Rainey

6. Ma and Pa Rainey Ma began traveling with Pa Traveled with F.S. Wolcotts Rabbit Foot Minstrels Later traveled with Tollivers Circus and Musical Extravaganza and other tent-show performers Toured for more than three decades in:  The South  The Midwest  And Mexico

7. The Blues Ma Rainey was the first women to incorporate blues music into Minstrel and Vaudeville stage shows She would perform a blend of:  Country Blues  Early Jazz  And her own personal idiom

8. Paramount Records In 1923, Ma Rainey began recording with Paramount Records. Was one of the first women to record the blues professionally Eventually produced more than 100 records Began to tour as “Madame” Became a key figure among the early female blues singers

9. Bessie Smith In 1912, Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey met for the first time Bessie joined their show in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They quickly became friends Her nickname later became the “Empress of the Blues”

10. Bessie Smith Bessie was born April 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee In 1912, Bessie began performing as a dancer in the Moses Stokes Minstrel show Later began performing in the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, where she met Ma Rainey

11. Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith A lot of people say that Ma was Bessie’s vocal coach, but that wasn’t the case. Chris Albertson said, “Ma Rainey probably did pass some sort of her experience to Bessie, but the instruction must have been rudimentary. Though they shared an extraordinary command of the idiom, the two women delivered their messages in styles and voices that were dissimilar and manifestly personal.”

12. Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith They only sang with each other for a short time but they were still two of the most important figures in development of what later became known as Classical Blues Here are some songs from both Ma and Bessie. Listen to their different styles: Ma Rainey: “Counting the Blues”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xG53RsDcx4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xG53RsDcx4 Bessie Smith: “Lost your head Blues”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYsGYWQT690 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYsGYWQT690

13. The Blues The Blues were primarily created by African- Americans in the south Blues started out as songs filled with stories of the trials and tribulations of African-American life Went from being a solo to the use of full bands Typically follows the AAB pattern Lyrics are typically about sadness, and disappointing stories

14. Ma Rainey In 1923, her two early songs that really spread Rainey’s fame outside of the south were:  “Bo-Weavle Blues”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcwLf3gc2p0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcwLf3gc2p0  “Moonshine Blues”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3xZa1ShIlU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3xZa1ShIlU Many people started to accompany her, for example:  Louis Amrstrong: “Hustling Blues”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBkfUMRZa1A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBkfUMRZa1A

15. “Mother of the Blues” In 1928, Paramount decided to drop Ma Because “down-home material has gone out of fashion.” Ma retired in 1933 In 1939, at the age of 53, Ma Rainey died of a heart disease

16. Bibliography http://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413#synopsis http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/gertrude- ma-rainey-1886-1939 http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/gertrude- ma-rainey-1886-1939 http://www.biography.com/people/bessie-smith-9486520 http://www.ehow.com/about_5451943_characteristics-blues- music.html http://www.ehow.com/about_5451943_characteristics-blues- music.html http://www.buzzle.com/articles/elements-of-blues-music.html https://www.google.com/search?q=gertrude+ma+rainey&biw=1366&b ih=673&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=33ZtVMDCJ43- yQSmtIGYBg&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc =PPg- i84p4lQvDM%253A%3BL8qfnqU3W_dPlM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%25 2Fwijsf.com%252Fimages2%252FGertrudeMaRainey.jpg%3Bhttp%253 A%252F%252Fwijsf.com%252Fjazzwomen%252Fgertruderainey.htm% 3B200%3B300 https://www.google.com/search?q=gertrude+ma+rainey&biw=1366&b ih=673&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=33ZtVMDCJ43- yQSmtIGYBg&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc =PPg- i84p4lQvDM%253A%3BL8qfnqU3W_dPlM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%25 2Fwijsf.com%252Fimages2%252FGertrudeMaRainey.jpg%3Bhttp%253 A%252F%252Fwijsf.com%252Fjazzwomen%252Fgertruderainey.htm% 3B200%3B300 http://jasobrecht.com/ma-rainey-the-mother-of-the-blues/