Here's another classic, recorded the year before I was born! In 2004, "See See Rider Blues" (performed in 1924) was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was added to the National Recording Registry by the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. [47], The first annual Ma Rainey International Blues Festival was held in April 2016 in Columbus, Georgia, near the home that Rainey owned and lived in at the time of her death. Rainey said she found "Blues Music" when she was in Missouri one night performing, and a girl introduced her to a sad song about a man leaving a woman. [13] She formed the Alabama Fun Makers Company with her husband, Will Rainey, but in 1906 they both joined Pat Chappelle's much larger and more popular Rabbit's Foot Company, where they were billed together as "Black Face Song and Dance Comedians, Jubilee Singers [and] Cake Walkers". Where she Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seemed to go on wrong I looked up, to my surprise The gal I was with was gone. [10], Beginning in 1914, the Raineys were billed as Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. Went out last night with a crowd of my friends. She was billed as the "Mother of the Blues". [15] Around this time, she met Bessie Smith, a young blues singer who was also making a name for herself. Stream ad-free with Amazon Music Unlimited on … [32], Toward the end of the 1920s, live vaudeville went into decline, being replaced by radio and recordings. As the popularity of blues music increased, she became well known. Factory: 2:41 : 2005 : Ma Rainey. [31], Ma Rainey and Pa Rainey adopted a son named Danny who later joined his parents' musical act. Makes the wind blow all the while. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom 1990 The Definitive Collection 1924 - 28 2019 Stormy 2018 Goodbye Daddy Blues … December 14, 2019 January 23, 2020 ~ Megan DeJarnett ~ Leave a comment. [1] Ma Rainey - Prove It on Me Lyrics. Ma Rainey - Prove It on Me Blues Lyrics. Rainey developed a relationship with Bessie Smith. [51], Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, a 1982 play by August Wilson, is a fictionalized account of a recording of her song of the same title set in 1927. “ Gertrude Ma” Rainey, as a queer woman of color, used her songs such as “Prove it on Me” to express a sexuality that both the white patriarchy and heteronormativity tried to erase. [Chorus] [43] Bragging about sexual escapades was popular in men's songs at the time but her use of these themes in her works established her as both fiercely independent and fearless and many have drawn connections between her use of these themes and their modern use in Hip-Hop. [31], Throughout the 1920s, Ma Rainey had a reputation for being one of the most dynamic performers in the United States due in large part to her songwriting, showmanship and voice. From the Album 1923-1928 June 14, 2006 Listen Now Buy song $0.99. But She Broke More Than Musical Barriers", "Who Is Ma Rainey? Price New from Used from MP3 Music, July 16, 2018 "Please retry" $0.69 . In 1981, Sandra Lieb wrote the first full-length book about Rainey, Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey. [18] In 1923, Rainey was discovered by Paramount Records producer J. Mayo Williams. [10], In 1935, Rainey returned to her home town, Columbus, Georgia, where she was the proprietor[37] of three theatres, the Lyric, the Airdome, and the Liberty,[38] until her death. [46], There was also a small museum opened in Columbus in 2007 to honor Ma Rainey's legacy. [24] They began their tour with an appearance in Chicago in April 1924 and continued, on and off, until 1928. [31], In her lyrics, Rainey portrayed the black female experience like few others of the time reflecting a wide range of emotions and experiences. Ma Rainey also alluded to her bisexuality in her lyrics, most notably with "Prove it on Me Blues," which referenced a lesbian orgy she hosted that got her arrested, according to PBS. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (born Gertrude Pridgett, April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939)[1][2][3] was an influential blues singer and early blues recording artist. [14] In 1910, she was described as "Mrs. Gertrude Rainey, our coon shouter". 'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me They say I do it, ain't nobody caught me Your Amazon Music account is currently associated with a different marketplace. Shop for Vinyl, CDs and more from Ma Rainey at the Discogs Marketplace. Prove It On Me Blues. I went out last night with a crowd of my friends See all 9 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. In her 1999 book Blues Legacies and Black Feminism, Angela Davis wrote that Rainey's songs are full of women who “explicitly celebrate their right to conduct themselves as expansively and even as undesirably as men. Ma Rainey - Prove it On Me Blues "Ma" Rainey (born Gertrude Pridgett, September 1882 or April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was one of the earliest African-American professional blues singers and one of the first generation of blues singers to record. Where she went, I don't know 16. Encyclopedia.com. It was also rumored that Smith once bailed Ma Rainey out of jail. [A] A story later developed that Rainey kidnapped Smith, forced her to join the Rabbit's Foot Minstrels, and taught her to sing the blues; the story was disputed by Smith's sister-in-law Maud Smith. As a musical innovator she built on the minstrelsy and vaudeville performative traditions with comedic timing and a hybrid of American blues traditions she encountered in her vast tours across the country. [31], Unlike many blues singers of her day, Rainey wrote at least a third of the songs she sang including many of her most famous works such as "Moonshine Blues" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" which would become standards of the "classic blues" genre. 16 Oct. 2020 . Tag: Prove It On Me Blues Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and the Importance of Teaching Identity. Your Amazon Music account is currently associated with a different marketplace. [53], This sortable table presents all 94 titles recorded by Rainey. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. (2020, November 22). When I last night, Hade a bad big fight Everything seemed to go on wrong I looked up, to my surprise The gal I was with was gone. New Releases. [45] In 1994, the U.S. Post Office issued a 29-cent commemorative postage stamp honoring her. Ma Rainey. Don't you say I do it, ain't nobody caught me Talk to the gals just like any old man Went out last night with a crowd of my friends View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1928 Shellac release of "Prove It On Me Blues / Hear Me Talking To You" on Discogs. Her first recording was made in 1923. [29] The political activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis noted that "'Prove It on Me' is a cultural precursor to the lesbian cultural movement of the 1970s, which began to crystallize around the performance and recording of lesbian-affirming songs. [22] In the same year, she embarked on a tour of the Theater Owners Booking Association (TOBA) in the South and Midwest of the United States, singing for black and white audiences. [7], In February 1904, Ma Rainey married William "Pa" Rainey. [34] Her style of blues was no longer considered fashionable by the label. [16], From the late 1910s, there was an increasing demand for recordings by black musicians. She toured until 1935, when she largely retired from performing and continued as a theater impresario in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, until her death four years later. "[30] At the time, an ad for the song embraced the genderbending outlined in the lyrics and featured Rainey in a three-piece suit, mingling with women while a police officer lurks nearby. [17] In 1920, Mamie Smith was the first black woman to be recorded. She helped to pioneer a genre that appealed to North and South, rural and urban audiences. I want the whole world to know I didn't know where she took it She made more than 100 other recordings over the next five years, which brought her fame beyond the South. [4] The "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of southern blues, influencing a generation of blues singers. "[42] The portrayals of black female sexuality, including those bucking heteronormative standards, fought ideas of what a woman should be and inspired Alice Walker in developing her characters for The Color Purple. Check out Prove It On Me Blues by Ma Rainey on Amazon Music. They toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and later formed their own group, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. Rainey’s sexual involvement with women was no secret with both colleagues and audiences. How the 'Mother of the Blues' Became an Icon", "Overlooked No More: Ma Rainey, the 'Mother of the Blues' (Published 2019)", "WHAT BLACK WRITERS OWE TO MUSIC (Published 1984)", "Ma Rainey International Blues Festivial - Mad About Ma Blues Society", "Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts opens as 2017-18 classes begin", "Netflix releases trailer for Chadwick Boseman's final movie", "Mo'Nique on Emmy Nomination for 'Bessie,' Lee Daniels' 'Empire' Snub: 'What You Put Out Is What You Get Back, Ma Rainey Blues Festival official website, Rainey, Ma (1886–1939) | Encyclopedia.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ma_Rainey&oldid=1015180844, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using Template:Infobox musical artist with unknown parameters, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Misprint for "'Fore Day"; another take on JSP & DOCD. [28], According to the website queerculturalcenter.org, the lyrics refer to an incident in 1925 in which Rainey was "arrested for taking part in an orgy at [her] home involving women in her chorus". [48][49] In 2017, the Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts opened in Columbus, Georgia, named in honor of Rainey and author Carson McCullers. They must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men Looks VV+ / V+. Songs without any twelve-bar or eight-bar structure are classified as non-blues. [31], Her signature low and gravelly voice sung with Rainey's gusto and authoritative style inspired imitators from Louis Armstrong, Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt among others. Went out last night, had a great big fight Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (born Gertrude Pridgett, April 26, 1886 – December 22, … Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Ma Rainey. She later claimed that she was first exposed to blues music around 1902. Check out Prove It On Me Blues : The First of the Great Blues Singers by Ma Rainey on Amazon Music. "[41] In her songs, she and other black women sleep around for revenge, drink and party all night and generally live lives that "transgressed these ideas of white middle class female respectability. Everything seemed to go on wrong Gertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, April 26, 1886 – Columbus, Georgia, December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. Prove It On Me Blues. Sure got to prove it on me. Ma Rainey was supposedly performing as early as 1902, though she wasn't recorded until the 1920s. [11], Pridgett began her career as a performer at a talent show in Columbus, Georgia, when she was approximately 12 to 14 years old. Brown wrote the poem "Ma Rainey" in 1932, about how "When Ma Rainey / comes to town" people everywhere would hear her sing. Sources are unclear on the exact date and circumstances under which Rainey and Smith met, but it was probably sometime between 1912 and 1916. Ma Rainey. Makes the wind blow all the while [35] It is unclear if she maintained the royalties to her songs after she was fired from Paramount. The most famous example, "Prove It on Me Blues" (1928) was recorded near the end of her contract with Paramount, and contains the lyrics: Where she went, I … ONE OF THE ULTIMATE MA RAINEY CLASSICS -- Her iconic Lesbian blues, Prove it on Me, with the Tub Jug Band. Rainey was a hugely popular figure—and she was infamous for her bisexual exploits, including one notorious 1925 incident in which her home was raided by police during a lesbian orgy. Nicknamed the “Mother of the Blues,” she recorded more than 100 singles, including the hits “Prove it on Me Blues,” “See See Rider Blues,” and “Don’t Fish in My Sea.” It's true I wear a collar and a tie [8][9] She was the second of five children of Thomas and Ella (née Allen) Pridgett, from Alabama. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues. [25] Dorsey left the group in 1926 because of ill health and was replaced as pianist by Lillian Hardaway Henderson, the wife of Rainey's cornetist Fuller Henderson, who became the band's leader.[26]. Blues songs which are only partly of twelve-bar structure are classified as mixtures of blues and popular song forms. [Chorus] Say I do it, ain't nobody caught me Sure got to prove it on me Click any label to sort. In the following five years, she made over 100 recordings, including "Bo-Weevil Blues" (1923), "Moonshine Blues" (1923), "See See Rider Blues" (1924), "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (1927), and "Soon This Morning" (1927).[6]. [10] She took on the stage name "Ma Rainey", which was "a play on her husband’s nickname, 'Pa'". Dixon, Robert M. W.; Godrich, John; and Rye, Howard W. (compilers) (1997). [5], Gertrude Pridgett began performing as a teenager and became known as "Ma" Rainey after her marriage to Will "Pa" Rainey in 1904. Prove It On Me. Where 1900 Census for Columbus Ward 5, Muscogee, Georgia, District 4, Enumeration district 91, Sheet 16A, line 20, 'Prigett, Gertrude, Sept 1882, 17. Listen to your favorite songs from Prove It On Me Blues : The First of the Great Blues Singers by Ma Rainey Now. Her qualities are present and most evident in her early recordings "Bo-Weevil Blues" and "Moonshine Blues". Listen to Ma Rainey (1928) by Ma Rainey on Apple Music. Rainey claimed she created the term "blues" when asked what kind of song she was singing. Folks say I'm crooked. (it could use a clean) [7] However, the 1900 census indicates that she was born in September 1882 in Alabama, and researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc suggest that her birthplace was in Russell County, Alabama. Born Gertrude Pridgett, Ma Rainey (April 26, 1886 - December 22, 1939) was one of the first blues singers to record music. Shout! I mean to follow everywhere she goes; [Verse 1] She signed a recording contract with Paramount, and in December she made her first eight recordings in Chicago,[19] including "Bad Luck Blues", "Bo-Weevil Blues" and "Moonshine Blues". Viola Davis portrayed Rainey in the 2020 film adaptation of the play and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. [1][12] A member of the First African Baptist Church, she began performing in black minstrel shows. [26] Rainey's career was not immediately affected; she continued recording for Paramount and earned enough money from touring to buy a bus with her name on it. You sure got to prove it on me Sure got to prove it on me; Stream songs including "Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues", "Log Camp Blues" and more. [33] In 1928, she worked with Dorsey again and recorded 20 songs, before Paramount terminated her contract. [Verse 2] Often called the Often called the “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey was known for her deep-throated voice and mesmerizing stage presence that drew packed audiences and sold hit records in the early twentieth century. [39][40][3], Ma Rainey created what is now known as "classic blues" while also portraying black life like never before. It’s true I wear a collar and tie. Although most of Rainey's songs that mention sexuality refer to love affairs with men, some of her lyrics contain references to lesbianism or bisexuality,[27] such as the 1928 song "Prove It on Me": They said I do it, ain't nobody caught me. [23] She was accompanied by the bandleader and pianist Thomas Dorsey and the band he assembled, the Wildcats Jazz Band. [44], Rainey was also a fashion icon who pioneered flashy, expensive costuming in her performances, wearing ostrich plumes, satin gowns, sequins, gold necklaces, diamond tiaras, and gold teeth. Ma Rainey’s “Prove it on me” Gertrude “Ma” Rainey ’s Prove it on me blues affirms her independence from orthodox norms by boldly celebrating her lesbianism. Ma alludes to her affinity for same-sex relationships in “Prove it on Me Blues.” (“Went out last night with a crowd of my friends / They must have been women, ‘cause I don’t like no men.”) [31], Rainey was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. [14] She continued with the Rabbit's Foot Company after it was taken over by a new owner, F. S. Wolcott, in 1912. Born Gertrude Pridgett, she first performed in talent shows when she was about 13 years old . To enjoy Prime Music, go to Your Music Library and transfer your account to Amazon.com (US). [Verse 4] Usual Paramount grainy pressing for this period. Ma Rainey Prove It On Me lyrics & video : Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seemed to go on wrong I looked up, to my surprise The gal I was with was gone. [21], In 1924, Rainey recorded with Louis Armstrong, including on "Jelly Bean Blues", "Countin' the Blues" and "See, See Rider". Wear my clothes just like a fan Song information for Prove It on Me Blues - Ma Rainey on AllMusic AllMusic. She had at least two brothers and a sister, Malissa Pridgett Nix. .. PlaysV++ almost as good as my E shelf copy. Though there is still debate as to whether Ma Rainey was bisexual or lesbian, the lyrics of “Prove it on me” are a clear declaration of her queerness and preference for the company of women. Rainey recorded with Thomas Dorsey and Louis Armstrong, and she toured and recorded with the Georgia Jazz Band. Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind On Jesus). To return to chronological order, click, This page was last edited on 31 March 2021, at 01:34. Rainey said she learned the lyrics of the song and added it to her performances. Wintering in New Orleans, she met numerous musicians, including Joe "King" Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Pops Foster. [1][20] Paramount marketed her extensively, calling her the "Mother of the Blues", the "Songbird of the South", the "Gold-Neck Woman of the Blues" and the "Paramount Wildcat". They became so close that rumors circulated that their relationship was possibly also romantic in nature. [50], Sterling A. Hustlin' Blues. Ma Rainey was a professional blues singer born around 1886, often referred to as “The Mother of the Blues.” She got her start in minstrel shows, ... Sure got to prove it on me. It must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. Theresa Merritt and Whoopi Goldberg starred as Rainey in the Original and Revival Broadway productions, respectively. It is in the very house that she had built for her mother and later lived in until her death in 1935. Retrieved November 22, 2020, from Rainey, Ma (1886–1939) | Encyclopedia.com. [52], Mo'Nique played Rainey in the 2015 television film Bessie about the life of Bessie Smith, for which she earned a nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She died of a heart attack in 1939. [54], ." Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, "The True Story Of Ma Rainey From Netflix's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, "Overlooked No More: Ma Rainey, the 'Mother of the Blues, "Ma Rainey's Lesbian Lyrics: 5 Times She Expressed Her Queerness in Song", "Ma Rainey Is Best Known as a Pioneer of the Blues. The gal I was with was gone Some sources indicate that she was born in 1882, while most sources assert that she was born on April 26, 1886. Though there is still debate as to whether Ma Rainey was bisexual or lesbian, the lyrics of “Prove it on me” are a clear declaration of her queerness and preference for the company of women. Song information for Prove It on Me Blues - Ma Rainey on AllMusic. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. The classification, by Sandra Lieb, is almost entirely by form. . [2] Pridgett claimed to have been born on April 26, 1886 (beginning with the 1910 census, taken April 25, 1910), in Columbus, Georgia. ... More by Ma Rainey. I looked up, to my surprise [31] She and her band could fetch earnings of $350 a week on tour with the Theater Owners’ Booking Association which was double that of Bessie Brown and George Williams while a little over half what Bessie Smith would ultimately command. 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