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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 1-25 of 95 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-36069 | 10-in. | 8/27/1926 | Goin' crazy with the blues | Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-36070 | 10-in. | 8/27/1926 | Sweet Virginia blues | Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-36081 | 10-in. | 8/31/1926 | What have you done to make me feel this way | Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-36082 | 10-in. | 8/31/1926 | I once was yours, I'm somebody else's now | Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | MVE-50603 | 16-in. | 4/9/1929 | Jailhouse blues | Mamie Smith | Motion picture soundtrack : Female vocal solo, with violin and piano | vocalist | |
Victor | [Trial 1920-01-10-02] | Not documented | 1/10/1920 | That thing called love | Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7275 | 10-in. | 2/14/1920 | That thing called love | Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7276 | 10-in. | Feb. 1920 | You can't keep a good man down | Rega Orchestra ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7529 | 10-in. | 8/10/1920 | Crazy blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7539 | 10-in. | Aug. 1920 | It's right here for you (If you don't get it—'tain't no fault of mine) | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7540 | Not documented | Aug. 1920 | [Unknown title(s)] | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7589 | 10-in. | Sept. 1920 | Fare thee honey blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7590 | 10-in. | Sept. 1920 | The road is rocky (But I am gonna find my way) | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7642 | 10-in. | 11/5/1920 | Mem'ries of you, Mammy | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7643 | 10-in. | 11/5/1920 | If you don't want me blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7658 | 10-in. | Nov. 1920 | Don't care blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7659 | 10-in. | Nov. 1920 | Lovin' Sam from Alabam' | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7724 | 10-in. | Jan. 1921 | Royal Garden blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader | |
OKeh | S-7725 | 10-in. | Jan. 1921 | Jazz hound blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
OKeh | S-7788 | 10-in. | Feb. 1921 | Jazzbo Ball | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7789 | 10-in. | February 1921 | What have I done | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist | |
OKeh | S-7790 | 10-in. | Feb. 1921 | That thing called love | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
OKeh | S-7791 | 10-in. | Feb. 1921 | Old time blues | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
OKeh | S-7792 | 10-in. | Feb. 1921 | Baby you made me fall for you | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
OKeh | S-7793 | 10-in. | Feb. 1921 | You can't keep a good man down | Jazz Hounds ; Mamie Smith | Jazz/dance band | leader |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Mamie," accessed September 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109988.
Smith, Mamie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved September 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109988.
"Smith, Mamie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 September 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Mamie Smith
Discogs: Mamie Smith
Allmusic: Mamie Smith
Grove: Mamie Smith
IMDb: Mamie Smith
Britannica: Mamie Smith
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Smith, Mamie - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no94040741
Wikidata: Mamie Smith - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q274181
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/7584151
MusicBrainz: Mamie Smith - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/918aef2a-cce5-4747-a0f0-c33a8ec299cb
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