Mamie Smith

Mamie Smith

Mamie Smith (née Robinson; May 26, 1891 – September 16, 1946) was an American singer. As a vaudeville singer, she performed in multiple styles, including jazz and blues. In 1920, she entered blues history as the first African-American artist to make vocal blues recordings. Willie "The Lion" Smith (no relation) described the background of these recordings in his autobiography Music on My Mind (1964).

Birth and Death Data: Born May 26, 1883 (Cincinnati), Died September 16, 1946 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1931

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, leader, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-95 of 95 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
OKeh	S-71675	10-in.	July 1923	You can't do what my last man did	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71676	Not documented	July 1923	[Unknown title(s)]	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71679	Not documented	July 1923	[Unknown title(s)]	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71680	10-in.	July 1923	Good looking papa	Mamie Smith ; Clarence Williams	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71725	10-in.	August 1923	Lady Luck blues	Harlem Trio ; Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio	vocalist
OKeh	S-71726	10-in.	August 1923	Kansas City man blues	Harlem Trio ; Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio	vocalist
OKeh	S-71727	10-in.	August 1923	Plain old blues	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, songwriter
OKeh	S-71728	Not documented	Aug. 1923	[Unknown title(s)]	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71759	10-in.	August 1923	Mistreatin' daddy blues	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71760	10-in.	Aug. 1923	Do it Mr. So and So	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71764	10-in.	Aug. 1923	My mammy's blues	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	S-71765	Not documented	Aug. 1923	[Unknown title(s)]	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	W401760	10-in.	3/30/1929	Wonderful mammy	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W401761	10-in.	3/30/1929	My sportin' man	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W401762	10-in.	3/30/1929	The lure of the South	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W401763	10-in.	4/1/1929	The show must go on	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W404851	10-in.	2/19/1931	Golfing papa	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W404852	10-in.	2/19/1931	Jenny's Ball	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W404853	10-in.	2/19/1931	Keep a song in your soul	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
OKeh	W404866	10-in.	2/19/1931	Don’t you advertise your man	Mamie Smith	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist

(Results 76-95 of 95 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Mamie," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109988.

Smith, Mamie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109988.

"Smith, Mamie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.