We’ll take you to the early century when jazz was bubbling up in every urban quarter…Chicago, New York, New Orleans, Kansas City, and beyond. Our focus will be on the fringes where blues women would establish themselves with stories of cheating, stealing, and mean mistreating. The economy of the early twenties generated the disposable income for Victrolas, radios, and shellac recordings and the Great Migration from the south brought with it a culture that would affect the American music landscape forever. The ladies of the blues are featured on our show this week, including Lucille Bogan, Bessie Smith, Victoria Spivey, Gertrude Saunders, and an opening piece about a razor-totin’ mama from Perline Ellison.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Perline Ellison
Razor Totin' Mama
Female Blues – The Remaining Titles Vol. 2 (1938-1949)
3
Mamie Smith
Mean Daddy Blues
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2
4
Ida Cox
How Long Daddy, How Long (Pm 12325, 2287-1)
The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 1 (1917-1927)
5
Unknown Artist
Mama Likes To Do It
Female Blues Singers, Complete Recorded Works. Volume 14
6
Ma Rainey
Black Eye Blues
Black Swan Sampler
7
Ethel Waters
My Handy Man
Copulation Blues 1926 – 1940 H
8
Dorothy Everetts
Fat Mouth Blues
Female Blues Singers, Complete Recorded Works. Volume 6
9
Josephine Byrd
Mosquito Blues
Female Blues Singers, Complete Recorded Works. Volume 3
10
Christina Gray
The Reverend Is My Man
Female Blues Singers, Complete Recorded Works. Volume 7
11
Gertrude Saunders
You Can't Have It Unless I Give It To You
Female Blues Singers Vol. 13 R/S (1921-1931)
12
Lucille Bogan
Coffee Grindin' Blues
Vol. 1-1923-30
13
Sippie Wallace
A Man For Every Day In The Week
Complete Recorded Works
14
Mamie Smith
Goin' Crazy With The Blues
Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey [Disc 1]
15
Victoria Spivey
Murder In The First Degree
Black Snake Blues – The Best Of
16
Betty Gray
Mean Old Bed Bug Blues
Female Blues Singers, Complete Recorded Works. Volume 6
17
Bessie Smith
Mean Old Bed Bug Blues
Empress Of The Blues Volume 2: 1926-1933 (CD A, 1926-1928)
18
Bessie Smith
Jail House Blues
ABC Of The Blues Vol 39
19
Sara Martin
Death Sting Me Blues
The Blues: Smithsonian Collection Of Classic Blues Singers [Disc 1]
20
Lucille Bogan
Sloppy Drunk Blues
Vintage Songs of Sex, Drugs & Cigarettes
21
Billie Young
When They Get Lovin' They's Gone
Female Blues Singers, Complete Recorded Works. Volume 14
22
Lucille Bogan
Tired As I Can Be [Album Version]
Shave 'Em Dry: The Best Of Lucille Bogan
23
Billie Holiday
My Last Affair
Billie Holiday: The Legacy Box 1933-1958 Disc 2
24
Memphis Minnie
Dirty Mother For You
Memphis Minnie – Queen Of Country Blues, 1932 – 1935 [Disc 3]
25
Memphis Minnie
He's In The Ring (Doing The Same Old Thing)
Harry Smith's Anthology Of American Folk Music, Volume Four
26
Alberta Hunter
You Can't Tell The Difference After Dark
Flashbacks #3 CopulationBlues 1926-1940
27
Wea Bea Booze
These Young Men Blues
Female Blues – The Remaining Titles Vol. 2 (1938-1949)
28
Albert Ammons & His Rhythm Kings w/ Sippie Wallace