Trixie Smith
Encyclopedia
Trixie Smith was an African American
blues
singer, recording artist, vaudeville
entertainer, and actress. She made four dozen recordings
.
, Georgia
, she came from a middle class-background. She attended Selma University
in Alabama before moving to New York
around 1915. Smith worked in minstrel shows and on the TOBA
vaudeville circuit, before making her first recordings for the Black Swan
label in 1922.
Amongst these were "My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)" (1922), written by J. Berni Barbour, of historic interest as the first secular recording to reference the phrase "rock and roll
". Her record
inspired various lyrical elaborations, such as "Rock That Thing" by Lil Johnson
and "Rock Me Mama" by Ikey Robinson
. Also in 1922, Trixie Smith won first place and a silver cup in a blues singing contest at the Inter-Manhattan Casino in New York, sponsored by dancer Irene Castle, with her song "Trixie's Blues," singing against Alice Carter, Daisy Martin
and Lucille Hegamin
. She is most remembered for "Railroad Blues," (1925) a song that featured one of Smith's most inspired vocal performances on record, and "The World Is Jazz Crazy and So Am I" (1925). Both songs feature Louis Armstrong
on cornet. A highly polished performer, her records include several outstanding examples of the blues on which she is accompanied by artists such as James P. Johnson
, and Freddie Keppard
. She recorded with Fletcher Henderson
's Orchestra for Paramount Records
in 1924–1925.
As her career as a blues singer waned, mostly she sustained herself by performing in cabaret revues, and starring in musical revues such as New York Revue (1928) and Next Door Neighbors (1928) at the Lincoln Theatre
in Harlem
. Smith also appeared in Mae West
's short-lived 1931 Broadway effort, The Constant Sinner. Two years later, she was elevated to the stage of the Theatre Guild for its production of Louisiana.
She appeared in four movie
s: God's Step Children
(1938), Swing! (1938), Drums o' Voodoo (1934), and The Black King (1932). Two of these films were directed
by Oscar Micheaux
. She appeared at John H. Hammond
's "From Spirituals to Swing
" concert
in 1938, and recorded seven titles during 1938–1939. Most of her later recordings were with Sidney Bechet
for Decca
in 1938. In 1939 she cut "No Good Man" with a band including Red Allen
and Barney Bigard
.
Trixie Smith died in New York in 1943, after a brief illness, aged 48.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singer, recording artist, vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
entertainer, and actress. She made four dozen recordings
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...
.
Biography
Born and raised in AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, she came from a middle class-background. She attended Selma University
Selma University
Selma University is a private, historically black, bible college located in Selma, Alabama, United States. It is affiliated with the Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention.-History:...
in Alabama before moving to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
around 1915. Smith worked in minstrel shows and on the TOBA
Theater Owners Bookers Association
Theater Owners Booking Association, or T.O.B.A., was the vaudeville circuit for African American performers in the 1920s and 1930s. The theaters all had white owners and collaborated in booking jazz, blues, comedians, and other performers for black audiences...
vaudeville circuit, before making her first recordings for the Black Swan
Black Swan Records
Black Swan Records was a United States record label founded in 1921 in Harlem, New York. It was the first widely distributed label to be owned and operated by, and marketed to, African Americans....
label in 1922.
Amongst these were "My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)" (1922), written by J. Berni Barbour, of historic interest as the first secular recording to reference the phrase "rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
". Her record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
inspired various lyrical elaborations, such as "Rock That Thing" by Lil Johnson
Lil Johnson (blues singer)
Lil Johnson was an African American singer, who recorded bawdy blues and hokum songs in the 1920s and 1930s....
and "Rock Me Mama" by Ikey Robinson
Ikey Robinson
Isaac L. "Banjo Ikey" Robinson was an American banjoist and vocalist.Born in Dublin, Virginia, Robinson moved to Chicago in 1926, playing and recording with Jelly Roll Morton, Clarence Williams, and Jabbo Smith during 1928-1929.His groups included Ikey Robinson and his Band , The Hokum Trio, The...
. Also in 1922, Trixie Smith won first place and a silver cup in a blues singing contest at the Inter-Manhattan Casino in New York, sponsored by dancer Irene Castle, with her song "Trixie's Blues," singing against Alice Carter, Daisy Martin
Daisy Martin
Daisy Martin was an African American actress and blues singer. who performed in the classic female blues style that was popular during the 1920s....
and Lucille Hegamin
Lucille Hegamin
Lucille Nelson Hegamin was an American singer and entertainer, and a pioneer African American blues recording artist.-Life and career:...
. She is most remembered for "Railroad Blues," (1925) a song that featured one of Smith's most inspired vocal performances on record, and "The World Is Jazz Crazy and So Am I" (1925). Both songs feature Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
on cornet. A highly polished performer, her records include several outstanding examples of the blues on which she is accompanied by artists such as James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson was an American pianist and composer...
, and Freddie Keppard
Freddie Keppard
Freddie Keppard was an early jazz cornetist.Keppard was born in the Creole of Color community of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana. His older brother Louis Keppard was also a professional musician. Freddie played violin, mandolin, and accordion before switching to cornet...
. She recorded with Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Henderson
James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. His was one of the most prolific black orchestras and his influence was vast...
's Orchestra for Paramount Records
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
in 1924–1925.
As her career as a blues singer waned, mostly she sustained herself by performing in cabaret revues, and starring in musical revues such as New York Revue (1928) and Next Door Neighbors (1928) at the Lincoln Theatre
Lincoln Theatre
Lincoln Theater Napa Valley in Yountville, California, on the grounds of the California Veterans Home in Napa County, California. The 1214 seat theater is the performance venue of the Napa Regional Dance Company and home of the Napa Valley Symphony. Originally opened in 1957, it underwent a $20...
in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. Smith also appeared in Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
's short-lived 1931 Broadway effort, The Constant Sinner. Two years later, she was elevated to the stage of the Theatre Guild for its production of Louisiana.
She appeared in four movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s: God's Step Children
God's Step Children
God's Step Children is a 1938 American drama film directed by Oscar Micheaux and starring Jacqueline Lewis. The movie is inspired by a combination of elements shared from two previous released Hollywood productions: Imitation of Life and These Three....
(1938), Swing! (1938), Drums o' Voodoo (1934), and The Black King (1932). Two of these films were directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Oscar Micheaux
Oscar Micheaux
Oscar Devereaux Micheaux was an American author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films...
. She appeared at John H. Hammond
John H. Hammond
John Henry Hammond II was an American record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s...
's "From Spirituals to Swing
From Spirituals to Swing
From Spirituals to Swing was the title of two concerts presented by John Hammond in Carnegie Hall on 23 December 1938 and 24 December 1939. The concerts included performances by Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson, Helen Humes, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Mitchell's...
" concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
in 1938, and recorded seven titles during 1938–1939. Most of her later recordings were with Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
for Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in 1938. In 1939 she cut "No Good Man" with a band including Red Allen
Red Allen
Henry James "Red" Allen was a jazz trumpeter and vocalist whose style has been claimed to be the first to fully incorporate the innovations of Louis Armstrong.-Life and career:...
and Barney Bigard
Barney Bigard
Albany Leon Bigard, aka Barney Bigard, was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist, though primarily known for the clarinet....
.
Trixie Smith died in New York in 1943, after a brief illness, aged 48.
Discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Trixie Smith: Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1922–1924) | Blues | European Document |
| 1939 | Trixie Smith: Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1925–1939) | Blues | European Document |
External links
- Trixie Smith on RedHotJazz site with audio of some of her vintage recordings