Bertha Lee Pate
Encyclopedia
Bertha Lee Pate, known more commonly as Bertha Lee (1902 – 1975) was an American
classic female blues
singer, active in the 1920s and 1930s. She was notable for recording
with, and being the wife of, Charlie Patton
.
, Mississippi
. Lee met Patton in 1930 and remained his wife until his death in 1934. During this time, she sang on twelve of Patton's recordings, which resulted in the recording of three of her own songs, "Yellow Bee", "Dog Train Blues", and "Mind Reader Blues". Patton accompanied her on guitar on these records.
Her relationship with Patton was a turbulent one. At one time, both of them were incarcerated in a Belzoni, Mississippi
jailhouse after a particularly harsh fight.
In 1933, the couple settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi
, and in 1934, they travelled to New York
for what would be Patton's final sessions (on January 30 and February 1). They later returned to Holly Ridge and Lee saw Patton out in his final days, as he died of a heart ailment on April 28, 1934.
Little else is known of Lee, and her recordings with Patton are the only documents of her voice
. The album, Masters of the Delta Blues:The Friends of Charlie Patton contains some of her work.
She died in 1975 in Chicago
, Illinois
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
classic female blues
Classic female blues
Classic female blues was 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. Classic blues were performed by female vocalists accompanied by pianists or small jazz ensembles, and were the...
singer, active in the 1920s and 1930s. She was notable for recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
with, and being the wife of, Charlie Patton
Charlie Patton
Charlie Patton , better known as Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", and is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man...
.
Biography
When she was young, Lee's family moved to LulaLula, Mississippi
Lula is a town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 370 at the 2000 census.Lula was the birthplace of Dr. Ransom Myers , a renowned Canadian-based marine biologist/conservationist who published a seminal study on overfishing revealing the dramatic loss of nearly 90% of...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Lee met Patton in 1930 and remained his wife until his death in 1934. During this time, she sang on twelve of Patton's recordings, which resulted in the recording of three of her own songs, "Yellow Bee", "Dog Train Blues", and "Mind Reader Blues". Patton accompanied her on guitar on these records.
Her relationship with Patton was a turbulent one. At one time, both of them were incarcerated in a Belzoni, Mississippi
Belzoni, Mississippi
Belzoni is a city in Humphreys County, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region, on the Yazoo River. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Humphreys County...
jailhouse after a particularly harsh fight.
In 1933, the couple settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi
Holly Ridge, Mississippi
Holly Ridge is an unincorporated community in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. It is located in the Mississippi Delta, approximately five miles west of Indianola.-Blues history:...
, and in 1934, they travelled to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
for what would be Patton's final sessions (on January 30 and February 1). They later returned to Holly Ridge and Lee saw Patton out in his final days, as he died of a heart ailment on April 28, 1934.
Little else is known of Lee, and her recordings with Patton are the only documents of her voice
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
. The album, Masters of the Delta Blues:The Friends of Charlie Patton contains some of her work.
She died in 1975 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.