Classic Blues Singers in Minstrel Shows
The Classic Blues era, coinciding with the Roaring Twenties and lessoning in popularity around 1926, was marked by the emergence of female blues singers. Most of these singers came from the theater and the minstrel circuit. Minstrel shows had begun in the 1820s, and were first dominated by white entertainers who performed in blackface. After 1860, blacks too wanted to cash in on this form of entertainment; by the end of the century, black minstrel troupes dominated this entertainment field.Many black minstrel troupes, such as F.S. Wolcott’s Rabbit Foot Minstrels, were popular traveling variety and minstrel shows that performed in tents. It was in minstrel shows and other types of traveling variety shows that classic blues singers got their start. These tent shows traveled throughout the country, particularly in the South and Mid-West, and employed a variety of acts, including carnival shows, blues singers, jazz musicians, jugglers, and comics. It was in tent shows that nearly all of the famous classic blues singers started; it was in this forum that they refined their stage presence.
Classic Blues Singers in Vaudeville
It was the minstrel shows that helped pave the way for vaudeville, the most popular form of entertainment in the urban U.S. from 1900 to around 1925. Vaudeville shows encompassed many acts; they entertained audiences with comedians, dancers, acrobats, animal trainers, musicians, and singers. Black vaudeville entertainers were booked for performances by the Theater Owners’ Booking Association, also known as Toby or the T.O.B.A. It, like other vaudeville circuits, was known for its mistreatment and tough schedules it placed on its entertainers. In fact, the T.O.B.A. was often referred to as “Tough on Black Asses.”It was vaudeville that provided blues singers with a forum, and it soon became a common avenue to earn a living. It was in these shows that singers, many who would go on to become classic blues singers, honed their skills. Classic blues singers, such as Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters, worked in the vaudeville circuit.
The Emergence of the Blues
The blues, however, had been around in the South prior to its emergence in tent shows and vaudeville. W.C. Handy, a composer, musician, and bandleader, came across the blues in a Tutwiler, Mississippi train station in 1903. As the story goes, he was waiting for the train when he heard the unforgettable sound of a man running a knife against the strings of his guitar while he sang, “Goin’ where the Southern cross the Dog.” Handy was so struck by the music that he never forgot it. Not long after, in 1912, Handy published the song “Memphis Blues,” making him the third person in a few months to publish a song with the name “blues.”The Emergence of Female Classic Blues Singers
The blues really took off with the release of Mamie Smith’s recording of “Crazy Blues” in 1920. In its first month of release it sold an astounding 75,000 copies priced at $1. This marked the beginning of the market for the blues, and from thereafter record companies quickly snatched up singers to record the blues.At the time, female classic blues singers dominated when it came to recording. Their interpretation of the blues took on a different sound than the blues that was heard in the South from country blues singers who often slurred and moaned the lyrics to their songs. Instead, classic blues singers had a refined and jazz sound. This was hardly surprising considering that jazz bands usually accompanied these singers. In fact, Mamie Smith’s hit was recorded with the Jazz Hounds and when Bessie Smith recorded Handy’s notable tune “St. Louis Blues” in 1925, she was accompanied by Louis Armstrong playing the coronet; the result of this duo was a song that was a combination of jazz and the blues.
The Blues & the Great Migration
The classic blues era was coupled with the great migration of blacks moving from the rural South to the North, Midwest, and West. Blacks were looking to be entertained with their own music, and this was a perfect opportunity for classic blues singers. The cities, more sophisticated than the Southern parts of the U.S., brought a desire for more refined entertainment. In elegant evening gowns, glitzy jewelry, and with clear enunciation and a refined singing style, classic blues singers fulfilled the desires of these new city dwellers.
Themes of Blues Songs
Their elegant style, however, did not stop these blues singers from singing some risqué tunes. Bessie Smith, one of the most popular blues singers of the time, wasn’t shy when she sang and subtly moved her hips to “Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl.” Victoria Spivey’s rendition of “Black Snake Moan” and Lil Johnson’s “Sam The Hot Dog Man” were also risky tunes. These songs in a sense reflected the newfound freedom that these women felt. They no longer had to remain in the domestic sphere, but were free to move around because of their careers and the migration movement.Blues singers also sang about common concerns that affected their listeners. Many songs were about relationships, which was an overwhelming theme; tuberculosis, as exemplified by Victoria Spivey’s “T.B. Blues;” the train, which had become a popular means of transportation; and boll weevil, a beetle that was responsible for ruining countless cotton crops throughout the South.
The End of the Classic Blues Era
The era of the classic blues soon came to an end. Record producers started scouting for talented country blues singers in the South. The success of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “Long Lonesome Blues” in May 1926, marked the shift from the classic blues to the country blues. The country blues were mainly sung by guitar playing men, and record companies lost no time in search of the next biggest star.Some question whether classic blues singers were in fact singing the blues. Their style, which was a lot closer to jazz than the style of their male counterparts who sang the country blues, is often cited as the reason for this viewpoint. However, classic blues singers did sing the blues: it was a different type of blues, which took the country blues and refined it.
This article was written on February 26, 2008.
