But ultimately, Rainey was unwilling to adapt her style to fit in with the fads that the record companies were interested in. GREAT NEWS! Thanks for your help! Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Three years after Mamie Smith and The Jazz Hounds (pictured above) produced the first blues records in 1920, Paramount records signed Rainey. GREAT NEWS! And her performances were especially moving to those who saw such a striking figure sing of their own troubles. However, things in Chicago hadn't improved much and racial tensions were still running high. The second best result is William J Rainey age 30s in New Kensington, PA. In February 1904, Ma Rainey married William "Pa" Rainey. Before moving to the current home at 1801 N Center St, Ebensburg, PA, William J Rainey was a resident at 12 addresses in 3 cities. Rider," and "Dead Drunk Blues. He was also a singer, and together they toured as a double act under the billing ‘Ma and Pa Rainey’. While all-Black minstrel troupes followed the form of white minstrel scenes, they often had a satirical edge to them, rivaling the typical depictions of Black people as "fools." We have a volunteer within ten miles of your requested photo location. We have a volunteer within fifty miles of your requested photo location. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. After her divorce from Pa, Ma Rainey is considered to have openly identified as queer. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. But according to The New York Times, a census taken in 1900 lists her birthdate as September 1882 and her birthplace as Alabama. The gold-piece necklace lay like a golden armor covering her chest.". And Rainey not only developed her own style of blues, but she essentially established the genre as we know it. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? There is a problem with your email/password. A form of entertainment in the United States, minstrel shows developed in the early 1800s. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. According to Deep Blues by Robert Palmer, Rainey became exposed to blues for the first time in 1902 in a small Missouri town. ", Rainey's early albums were so successful that she was part of Paramount's 1924 promotional tour, and her popularity only spread from there. Please select a county or city to continue. They brought the blues up from slavery up to today." Family members linked to this person will appear here. But after her father died in 1896, Raniey's mother took a job with the Central Railway of Georgia. www.findagrave.com/memorial/82859240/william-rainey. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey was undoubtedly one of the greatest blues performers of all time. According to the Huntington Theatre Company, her live performances were considered to be unforgettable. She also invested some of her earnings in several movie theaters back home in Columbus, Georgia, to which she would return to after her touring career concluded. Name variations: Gertrude Rainey; Madame Rainey. Soon after her first performance, Rainey started traveling and performing in minstrel and vaudeville shows. By 1914, they had formed their own group: Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. -Esquire. Ma Rainey is bisexual. Rainey was one of five children, and her parents, Thomas Pridgett Sr. and Ella Allen-Pridgett, were both minstrel troupers. According to legend, she gave a young Bessie Smith vocal lessons during this time. Common Knowledge People/Characters William "Pa" Rainey. During the Great Depression, entertainers were hit with financial difficulties, but blues performers especially suffered as new styles of jazz started to become more popular and record companies dropped blues performers in search of more profit. It's unclear exactly when or in which minstrel troupe, but sometime between 1913 and 1916, in either The Rabbit Foot Minstrels or Moses Stokes, Rainey became acquainted with Bessie Smith. In 1902 she married song and dance man William Pa Rainey. Rainey didn't shy away from singing about queerness. According to Dan Morgenstern, quoted in the Chicago Tribune, "What today is called 'classic' blues style came into being when young Gertrude Rainey, impressed and moved by her first encounter with country blues, made this 'folk' music part of her more sophisticated, professional performance routine. Born Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia; died of heart disease on December 22, 1939, in Rome, Georgia; one of three children of Thomas and Ella Pridgett; married William "Pa" Rainey, in 1904; children: (adopted) son, Danny. They even adopted a son named Danny, but the couple separated in 1916. Make sure that the file is a photo. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. She began her stage shows by being wheeled out inside a giant prop Victrola, and after a chorus girl took a prop record and placed it onto the phonograph, she would begin singing from inside. FREE Background Report. William Larry Rainey, 66 Resides in Philadelphia, PA Lived In Santa Rosa Beach FL, Cottondale AL, Brighton MA, Roxbury Crossing MA Related To Lynn Rainey, … Yes. Use the links under “See more…” to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Billed as "Ma" and "Pa" Rainey the couple toured Southern tent shows and cabarets. According to ThoughtCo, after having started out touring in the South, the success of her music brought her to tour in the North in cities like New York City and Chicago. Add to your scrapbook. Not only did her voice captivate audiences, but she had such a stage presence that audiences were absolutely mesmerized and always kept clamoring for more. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Born Gertrude Pridgett in Columbus, GA, in 1886, Ma Rainey is widely regarded as among the best of the early 20th-century blues singers. Then, at a song's climax, she would emerge from the phonograph. However, some of the lyrics upheld stereotypes of the time. According to ThoughtCo, multiple poets such as Sterling Allen Brown and Langston Hughes refer to her in their writings. Brown University's Center for Digital Scholarship, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues, Madame Gertrude Rainey and her Georgia Smart Sets, trademark necklace made out of $20 gold coins, 'See See Rider Blues' – Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey, responded to the prevailing racism, homophobia, and sexism, complete with her name painted on the side, The Gertrude "Ma" Rainey House & Blues Museum. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. In 1904, at the age of 18, she married William “Pa” Rainey (and in turn, got her nickname of "Ma" Rainey). An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Singing to mainly poor, rural Black audiences, Rainey sang of troubles with drinking, with the law, with sexual brutality, and with loneliness. Gertrude Pridgett married her husband, William Rainey, in 1904. According to Out History, the advertisement for the song featured a large woman in a tie, vest, and suit jacket with her skirt talking to two women in comparatively more feminine attire as a policeman watches. And before long, the "Mother of the Blues" had given birth to the "Empress of the Blues. Her performances stunned people. Ultimately, Rainey was able to get away with her lyrics by switching back and forth between being subversive while simultaneously acknowledging with the audience the subversive nature of the acts. To add a flower, click the “Leave a Flower” button. Before long, Gertrude caught the attention of William "Pa" Rainey, another traveling showman, and in 1904, they married. She was the second of five children and by her early teens had taken to the stage, performing primarily as a vaudeville artist and singer on the … In 1904, she married William "Pa" Rainey and she changed her name to Ma Rainey. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. This account has been disabled. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. William Rainey in Pennsylvania . After her sister and mother died, Rainey retired from music, returning to her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, in 1935. But white people weren't the only ones doing minstrel shows. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. And selling out integrated shows wasn't a usual occurrence during that time, especially in the Jim Crow South. Please contact Find a Grave at support@findagrave.com if you need help resetting your password. Includes Address(7) Phone(4) Email(1) See Results. Even before Paramount signed her in 1923, Ma Rainey was wildly popular. Check Reputation Score for William Rainey in Lilly, PA - View Criminal & Court Records | Photos | Address, Emails & Phone Number | Personal Review | $60 - … Despite everything she'd accomplished, her death certificate and local obituaries listed her occupation as "housekeeper.". Despite this, her career was not immediately affected, and she was earning enough to continue touring in her own bus, complete with her name painted on the side. GREAT NEWS! They started touring together, billing themselves as " Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues," joining up with many different groups, such as the Tolliver Circus and F. S. Wolcott's Rabbit Foot Minstrels. Her deep, raspy vocals were said to be an influence on blues singer Bessie Smith, who had toured with Ma Rainey for a period. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to feedback@findagrave.com and include a link to the page and details about the problem. The Mother of the Blues first appeared on stage in 1900. Her band included jazz stars Louis Armstrong, Thomas Dorsey and Coleman Hawkins. According to Understanding August Wilson by Mary L. Bogumil, Rainey was "recognized as a flamboyant songstress, adorned by her own spectacular creations, jewels and costumes." Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. At 18, she married William “Pa” Rainey, which is when she adopted the name “Ma.” (They went on to adopt a son named Danny). Blues Singer. Verify and try again. Fellow blues singer, Victoria Spivey, later said of the recording, as quoted in The Devil’s M… ", It's also likely that Rainey and Smith had a romantic relationship. The audio recordings of Ma Rainey don't do her justice. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. ", According to Rainey's pianist and music director "Georgia Tom" Dorsey, "Ma had the audience in the palm of her hand. Black people and Asian people were repeatedly depicted as inferior and peculiar in sketches that used blackface. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Ma Rainey was a musical revolutionary, incorporating various styles of blues, jazz, and her own personal flair into the minstrel and vaudeville acts. In addition to her influence on Bessie Smith, her records inspired generations of musicians like Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Big Mama Thornton, and Koko Taylor. Together, they traveled under the name "Ma and Pa Rainey, The Assassinators of The Blues," per the California African American Museum. If there was overflow, sometimes people sat in mixed audiences because nothing was worth missing her performance. William J Rainey is a sixty-four year old American. And her life is the topic of the 1982 play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom by August Wilson, although the play is not an entirely biographical depiction. Audiences went wild! Bessie Smith, who is regarded as the “Empress of Blues,” was also rumored to be in a relationship with an ‘undisclosed’ female lady.Not much has been documented about Ma’s female lovers. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. We’ve updated the security on the site. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. According to The New York Times, at the time, Smith was only performing as a chorus girl, but Rainey quickly took her under her wing. She took on the stage name "Ma … No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Also an additional volunteer within fifty miles. Unfortunately, Rainey's life was cut tragically short in 1939, when she died of a heart attack in Rome, Georgia, on December 22 at the age of 53. And according to Blues Legacies and Black Feminism by Angela Y. Davis (pictured above), her work was firmly anchored in Southern Black culture as it evolved against a history of enslavement. During the racial segregation of a post-slavery system, Rainey existed unapologetically as a Black queer woman. And after ending her marriage with Pa, Rainey established and toured with her own band named "Madame Gertrude Rainey and her Georgia Smart Sets. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The couple performed as “Ma” and “Pa” Rainey throughout the South. The gold in her teeth was even said to sparkle. According to Atlas Obscura, sometimes Rainey was also hired by white people to play quieter private parties. Contributor: (48660747), Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. You can still file a request but no one will be notified. Please try again later. She showed musical talent early on, beginning her career at age fourteen in a local talent show, "Bunch of Blackberries," at the Springer Opera House in Columbus. If you have questions, please contact support@findagrave.com. She married singer, dancer and comedian William Rainey when she was 18 and, billed as Ma and Pa Rainey, they toured as performers for minstrel shows that … Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? You need a Find a Grave account to add things to this site. Rainey also reportedly earned a reputation of being as savvy a businesswoman as she was a performer, but despite her frugality, she was known as someone who was always willing to help out with money if she could. But she'd always head to a local Black café straight afterward to dance after a night's work. Ma Rainey's legacy in art can't be understated, and her loss was soon felt in the artistic community. × They started touring together, billing themselves as "Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues," joining up with many different groups, such as the Tolliver Circus and F. S. Wolcott's Rabbit Foot Minstrels. William D Rainey, 71. While Rainey's voice was striking and raw, Smith was comparatively more subtle and earthy. [...] When Ma had sung her last number and the grand finale, we took seven [curtain] calls." https://www.geni.com/people/William-Pa-Rainey/6000000033550950004 These troupes also wore blackface and were even claimed to be more "authentic" representations of Black people than the versions depicted by white people. Mr. Rainey was a Vaudeville performer, and the husband of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey. The couple performed as "Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues" and toured throughout the south, performing with several minstrel shows, circuses, and tent shows. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. https://www.grunge.com/260276/the-untold-truth-of-ma-rainey Whitepages people search is the most trusted directory. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. Mary Lou Rainey Obituary. They were both openly queer, and after Rainey was arrested during a police raid in 1925 in which she was found in the company of several women naked and having sex, Smith was the one to bail her out of jail. Her songs were full of heartbreak and abandonment, and sometimes when she moaned, audiences moaned along with her. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons. If a new volunteer signs up in your requested photo location, they may see your existing request and take the photo. Women" or "B. D.'s Dream," is described as a lesbian song, while "Sissy Blues" recounts a story of a woman's man leaving her for a beautiful trans woman. Her band leader "Georgia Tom" Dorsey once recalled, "She possessed her listeners: they swayed, they rocked, they moaned and groaned, as they felt the blues with her.". When she was 18 she married William “Pa” Rainey and began her career as a performer for travelling minstrel and vaudeville shows. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Before long, Gertrude caught the attention of William "Pa" Rainey, another traveling showman, and in 1904, they married.
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