Ma Rainey
Definition
Ma Rainey was one of first professional African American blues singers who recorded extensively. Known as "Mother of the Blues," she was a significant influence on younger blues and jazz singers.
Analogy
Think of Ma Rainey as the original blueprint for blues music. Just like how an architect's blueprint influences future buildings, her style and performances shaped future generations of blues artists.
Related terms
Minstrel Shows: A form of American entertainment in 19th century that involved comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performed by white people in blackface.
Ragtime: A musical genre that enjoyed its peak popularity between 1895 and 1919. It has a syncopated rhythm or "ragged" rhythm.
Classic Female Blues: An early form of blues music popular in the 1920s. An amalgam of traditional folk blues and urban theater music, the style is also known as vaudeville blues.
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