Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey

About this book

Mother of the Blues is the first substantive biography of Gertrude "Ma" Rainey the pioneering blues vocalist that dominated blues in the 1920s. Through a comprehensive study of Raineys remarkable career Sandra R. Lieb analyzes how Rainey combined African American folk traditions with emerging blues styles to help establish and popularize the blues as a national musical phenomenon in the early twentieth century. With close attention to Raineys recordings performances and cultural significance as a Black female artist Lieb explores the impact of Ma Rainey distinctive deep-throated voice mesmerizing presence and songs of love desire sexuality and society in American music history and blues culture.