The Mother of the Blues Who Sang Her Truth

by Mahalia Pearson, age 14

Ma Rainey, also known as Gertrude Malissa Nix Pidgett, was an African American songwriter and musician who was born on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia.

Ma Rainey started singing at a young age and began performing as a teenager. She later made her debut in the band Bunch of Blackberries. She traveled and performed in tent shows, honky-tonks, and carnivals. While Ma performed, she met her husband, Will Rainey, also known as Pa Rainey.

Will Rainey was a comedian, singer, and dancer. He and Ma Rainey married in 1904. They created an act together, leading them to tour with several African American minstrel troupes and vaudeville groups. Ma Rainey later divorced her husband of 12 years. She then began her show, “Madame Gertrude Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Smart Set.”

Ma Rainey was most famous for using traditions of vaudeville and authentic Southern blues. The blues descended from storytelling songs of West African call-and-response. Captive slaves passed down these songs through generations while in the Western Hemisphere. Not only was she famous for this type of singing, but she was also known for her moaning style of music that kicked off her fame. Her style and her appearance caught the interest of multiple people. She wore gold teeth and flashy clothing, and jewelry. She also made personal connections with her audience while performing.

Ma had many hardships while traveling as an African American woman in the early 20th century. The Theater Owners Booking Association (TOBA) arranged many of Ma Rainey's performances, but because she was African American, it led to some problems with the theaters. TOBA was known for exploiting African American performers by giving them low wages. Multiple African Americans claimed that TOBA meant “Tough on Black Artists” due to them being exploited and having a hard time. Regardless of the low wages, Ma was a wide-ranging artist, drawing large mixed-race people coming from the South and Midwest.

The two-hour shows usually started with some sort of jazz act. This consisted of the band and a line of chorus girls. She then would have a comedy act right before she performed. Ma would make a grand entrance and amaze the audience with her songs.

Later in 1923, Ma signed a recording contract with Paramount Records. She was one of the earliest recorded blues musicians. Between 1923 and 1928, Ma recorded about 100 records, with most of them becoming hit songs. Her songs were a depiction of her life as a woman who struggled with heartbreak, depression, and other maladies.

Ma settled down in Chicago for most of the 1920s and early 1930s. Even though her contract had ended, that did not stop her from performing. She performed at private parties and continued touring. Ma died on Dec. 22, 1939, from heart disease at the age of 53.

Ma’s legacy remains, having a movie and a play, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” based on her. Her performances and music touched the lives of many and made a lasting impact on representation in music.

[Source: National Women’s History Museum]