Different Types of Christianity | Orthodox, Catholic & Protestant, Cologne Cathedral Overview, History & Facts | Klner Dom of Germany. Romance Language Overview & History | What are the Romance Languages? Karen Languages | Facts, Classifications & Alphabets. Bob Dylan refers to Rainey in the song "Tombstone Blues" on his 1965 album, Highway 61 Revisited in which she is intimate with Beethoven ("Ma Rainey and Beethoven once unwrapped their bedroll"). Sam Cooke Songs & Biography | Who was Sam Cooke? Archbishop Role & History | What is an Archbishop? Philosophy of Religion | Overview, History & Facts. Terror Management Theory Overview & Examples | What is TMT in Psychology? Trafalgar Square in London | History, Statues & Events. Palatine Chapel: History & Design | Where is the Palatine Chapel? Though she was not the first Black woman to record music (that was Mamie Smith in 1920), she recorded almost 100 songs with Paramount over the following five years, making her a household name among Black Americans. Scripts in Psychology: Overview & Analysis | What is a Cognitive Script? National Security Agency Origin & Purpose | What is the NSA? Agnolo Bronzino Biography & Paintings | Who was Agnolo di Cosimo? Shema Overview, Significance & Uses | What is the Shema Prayer? Folk Religion: Overview, History & Examples | What are Folk Religions? But according to The New York Times, a census taken in 1900 lists her birthdate as September 1882 and her birthplace as Alabama. Islamic Music History, Types & Songs | What is Islamic Music? Gods & Goddesses of Inca Empire | History, Mythology & Powers. In the history of Black America, she holds a special place as an early pioneer of sexual liberation and personal empowerment. Ascension of Jesus: Overview & Story | What is the Ascension? Mon People: History, Language & Culture | Who are the Mon? I feel like its a lifeline. Chakra Origins & Symbolism | The Importance of Chakras in Healing, Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Bernini | Statue, Construction & Analysis. An inspiring tribute to the artist herself, Ma Rainey: Mother of the Blues takes a deeper look at the real Ma Rainey an incredible musician and pioneer, way ahead of her time, who. Albanian Orthodox Church: Overview & History | What is the Albanian Church? Soren Kierkegaard Life, Philosophy & Books | Who was Kierkegaard? Wilsons play depicts a fictionalized afternoon in Raineys life, set on a sweltering summer day in Chicago circa 1927, with Rainey set to record a song titled Ma Raineys Black Bottom. Waiting at the run-down record studio for a tardy Rainey and her entourage are her Black band members, her white manager, and the white owner of the record label. [39][40][3], Ma Rainey created what is now known as "classic blues" while also portraying black life like never before. Mawlid History, Facts & Celebration | Eid Milad un Nabi Overview. Sangha Origin, Development & Role | What is Sangha in Buddhism? Cartesian Circle Facts & Overview | Decartes' Circular Reasoning. Religion | Characteristics, Differences & Examples. Her star began to rise in 1900 at the age of 14, when she. Irish Republican Army Overview & Significance | What is the IRA? Preschool Education Teaching, Learning & Ages | What is Preschool Education? Ebony Overview, Types & Facts | What is Ebony Wood? She mesmerised them and that was her control, that was her power, and she put her power into what she did. Wife of William "Pa" Rainey and unknown unknown Waldenses History, Beliefs & Facts | Who are the Waldensians? Canals Overview, Types & Famous Examples | What are Canals? Teletubbies Characters & Show | What are the Teletubbies? [10] It was also rumored that Smith once bailed Ma Rainey out of jail. Father of William Rainey; William Rainey; John Riley Rainey; Jane Rainey; Anne Hutcheson and 4 others. Minority: Overview, Facts & Examples | What are Minority Groups? The singer was the second of five children who started performing at Black minstrel shows in her teenage years. Moscow Art Theatre Overview & History | What is the MAT? Gematria Overview, History & Calculation | What is Gematria? Pashto Language: Overview & Alphabet | Where is Pashto Spoken? German Paganism & Religion | Gods, Values & Symbols. Execution by Hanging | Origin, History & Examples. Ewe People Language & Culture | Who are the Ewe People? Demon King Ravana Mythology | Who is Ravana in Hinduism? Tyche, Greek Goddess of Success | Origin, Mythology & Role, Nemesis, Greek Goddess of Vengeance | Origin, Mythology & Role, Hard News Overview & Examples | Hard News vs. Soft News. "The Mother of the Blues" was among the first blues singers to record music. Some scholars credit Rainey with mentoring Smith in her own sound while other scholars label their relationship as more personal in nature, possibly even romantic. Atharvaveda Overview & Significance | What is the Atharvaveda? During that time, she recorded with Armstrong and Jelly Roll Martin, with whom she also performed on the Chicago house party circuit. Geodesic Dome Invention & Architecture | What is a Geodesic Dome? Elite Theory Overview, History & Examples | What is Elite Theory? Crucifixion of Jesus: Overview & Significance | Why was Jesus Crucified? Celts History, Culture & Religion | Who are the Celts? Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Ocean Fishing Overview, Types & Facts | What is Saltwater Fishing? The singer Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, who became known to many through the film adaptation of August Wilson's play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, was a pivotal early blues figure, and a transitory . Ruth Bader Ginsburg Biography, Accomplishments & Quotes | Who was RBG? Transduction Facts & Examples | What is Transduction in Psychology? Bollywood: Hindi Cinema History & Facts | What is Bollywood? Latvia Population, People & Language | Where is Latvia? Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray | Plot, Characters & Adaptations, Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David | Composition, Themes & Analysis, Tenets of Critical Race Theory | Overview, Principles & Examples, Thai Language History, Alphabet & Writing | The Language of Thailand. Chinese Characters Overview & Writing | How to Write Chinese Characters. When the blues faded from popularity in the Thirties, the earthy Ma Rainey returned home to her Georgia hometown, where she ran two theaters. Blues songs which are only partly of twelve-bar structure are classified as mixtures of blues and popular song forms. Foreign Aid Types & Objectives | What is Foreign Aid? 1900 Census for Columbus Ward 5, Muscogee, Georgia, District 4, Enumeration district 91, Sheet 16A, line 20, 'Prigett, Gertrude, Sept 1882, 17. Karakoram Highway: Location, Construction, & Tourism | Where is the KKH? Angra Mainyu in Zoroastrianism | Overview, Story & Adversary. Viola Davis portrayed Rainey in the 2020 film adaptation of the play and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. High Priest of Israel: Overview & Significance | What was the High Priest? Baldur: Norse God of Light | History, Mythology & Powers. [23] She was accompanied by the bandleader and pianist Thomas Dorsey and the band he assembled, the Wildcats Jazz Band. Mande People Location & Culture | Who are the Mande People? The Birds: Band Members, Songs & Influence | Who were the Birds? Bible Translations | Overview, History & Timeline. "'Ma', that means the tops," he said. Vietnamese Art Styles & Techniques | What is Vietnamese Traditional Art? Nomothetic vs. Idiographic | Differences, Approaches & Examples. Metalwork History, Tools & Processes | What is Metalworking? [31], Rainey was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Rosh Hashanah Overview & Traditions | What is Rosh Hashanah? Etruscan Mythology, Gods & Goddesses | Who are the Etruscan Gods? Ancient Greek Alphabet History & Facts | What are the Greek Letters? La Tene Culture | History, Arts & Influence. Bessie [Smith] was the greater blues singer, but Ma really knew these people. [1] Fatah Overview, History & Ideology | Palestinian National Liberation Movement. While most sources state that she was born on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia, some suggest that her birth occurred in September 1882 in . When Paramount went bankrupt in the 1930s, owing to the rise of radio and the severe wallop of the Great Depression, Raineys records fell out of print, and remained difficult to access until they were remastered and reissued in the late 1960s. Nature Religion Overview, History & Facts | What is Nature Worship? Middle Eastern Religions | Overview, Beliefs & Facts, Nerthus in Norse Mythology | Origin, Family & Role, Pax, Roman Goddess of Peace | Mythology, Family & Role, Mythology vs. Malleus Maleficarum History & Facts | What is the Hammer of Witches? Separated from her husband in 1916 ". Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, born Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett, was most likely, and by her own account, born on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia. A&E Television Networks. Callison Hopkins, a certified English/Drama teacher, graduated from Arkansas State University with her Masters in English Education. Kumbh Mela Pilgrimage & Festival | What is Kumbh Mela? Receptor Cells & Sites in Psychology | What is a Receptor Site? Himeros, God of Sexual Desire: Mythology & Traits | Who was Himeros? Scathach Mythology & Appearances | Who is Scathach in Celtic Mythology? (They would continue to tour together for the next few years). Back-Formation Process & Examples | What is Back-Formation? The Laity: History, Types & Roles | What is a Lay Person? Etching in Art: History, Process & Examples | What is Etching? In fact, these areas of her life were sources of inspiration for Rainey. Apis: Egyptian God Facts & Symbolism | What is Apis the God of? Sleipnir in Norse Mythology | Origin, Role & Depiction. Although the musicians on these albums innovated profoundly in the genres of jazz, gospel, and blues, they were often under-recognized and underpaid, receiving little credit or fame for their musicianship. Percival Origin, Legend & Overview | Who is Percival? Hedonism Theory, Types & Examples | What is Hedonism? Lehigh Valley Railroad Overview & Facts | What was the Lehigh Valley Railroad? Cyrillic Alphabet: Letters & Languages | What is Cyrillic Script? I have them in my hand.. In fact, it is believed that Rainey coached a young Bessie Smith while touring with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. Leni Riefenstahl Biography, Movies & Propaganda| Who was Leni Riefenstahl? Shrove Tuesday: History, Traditions & Names | What is Shrove Tuesday? With what was left of her savings from the Paramount days, she bought and ran two theaters (the Lyric and the Airdrome) until her death of a heart attack in 1939 at the age of 53. [51], Sterling A. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Kami History, Belief & Ceremonies | What are Kami in Shintoism? Edda Overview, Composition & Facts | What is the Edda? Hong Kong Facts & Population | Where is Hong Kong? From her very first strut in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Viola Davis's vision of the eponymous blues singer can see nearly . Beltane Festival History, Facts & Celebration | What is Beltane? 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. Performance Art Characteristics & Examples | What is Performance Art? Canal Du Midi History, Map & Overview | Where is Midi Canal? Azerbaijan History, People & Facts | Where is Azerbaijan Located? Temple of Dagon Overview, History & Facts | Who is the God Dagon? In an ironic postscript for The Mother of the Blues, her death certificate listed her profession as housekeeping. Six months later, Memphis Minnie recorded a tribute song entitled Ma Rainey: Geni requires JavaScript! Irredentism Overview, Purpose & Examples | What is Irredentism? Baphomet Overview, History & Symbol | Who is Baphomet? Lithuania Facts, Population & People | Where is Lithuania? Njord Origins & Mythology | Who is the Norse God of the Sea? Danny Kay Rainey, Jr. born February 2, 1970 in Owensboro, Kentucky passed away on January 6, 2009 in Colorado Springs, CO. [8][9] She was the second of five children of Thomas and Ella (ne Allen) Pridgett, from Alabama. Some sources indicate that she was born in 1882, while most sources assert that she was born on April 26, 1886. In 1981 Sandra Lieb wrote the first full-length book about Rainey, Mother of the Blues: a Study of Ma Rainey. 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". De Stijl Movement: Artworks & Architecture | What is De Stijl Art? Throughout her career, Rainey was infamous for blending musical genres, most significantly blues with minstrel and vaudeville shows. Social Democratic Party of Germany | Overview, History & Facts, SS Great Eastern | Designer, Construction & History, The Planets Suite by Gustav Holst | Composer, Inspiration & Structure, The Way of the World by William Congreve | Play Summary & Characters.