cd - Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey, known as the "Mother of the Blues," was one of the first professional blues singers in America. Born Gertrude Pridgett in 1886 in Columbus, Georgia, she began her career as a teenager and later married William "Pa" Rainey, with whom she performed in various minstrel and vaudeville shows. Between 1923 and 1928, she recorded nearly 100 songs for Paramount Records, including "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "See See Rider Blues." Her music and style influenced many future blues artists. After retiring in 1935, she returned to Columbus, where she lived until her death in 1939.
