# Ma Rainey

> American blues singer (1886–1939)

**Wikidata**: [Q239533](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q239533)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Rainey)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ma-rainey

## Summary  
Ma Rainey (1886–1939) was an American blues singer and songwriter, widely regarded as one of the earliest recorded blues vocalists. Her recordings for Paramount in the early 20th century helped define the genre and earned her posthumous honors such as induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

## Biography  
- **Born:** 1886 (place not specified)  
- **Nationality:** United States  
- **Education:** –  
- **Known for:** Pioneering blues singing and songwriting in the United States  
- **Employer(s):** Paramount (record label)  
- **Field(s):** Blues, vocal performance, songwriting  

## Contributions  
- Began her professional music career in **1899**, establishing a long‑standing presence in the emerging blues scene.  
- Recorded a series of influential blues tracks for **Paramount**, providing some of the earliest commercial examples of the genre.  
- Authored and performed songs that articulated African‑American experiences, thereby expanding the lyrical scope of blues music.  
- Served as a cultural bridge that linked early 20th‑century African‑American folk traditions to later popular music forms, including rock and roll.  

## FAQs  

**When did Ma Rainey start her music career?**  
She entered the professional arena in 1899, marking the start of a career that spanned several decades.  

**Which record label did Ma Rainey record for?**  
Her primary commercial affiliation was with **Paramount**, a prominent American label active from 1917 to 1932.  

**What recognitions has Ma Rainey received?**  
She has been inducted into the **Rock and Roll Hall of Fame** and honored by the **Georgia Women of Achievement** organization.  

**What genres and roles define Ma Rainey’s work?**  
She is classified as a **blues** **singer** and **songwriter**, contributing both vocal performance and original compositions.  

**Is there any astronomical feature named after Ma Rainey?**  
A crater on Mercury bears the name **Rainey**, commemorating her cultural impact.  

## Why They Matter  
Ma Rainey’s recordings constitute some of the earliest documented blues performances, establishing vocal techniques and thematic content that shaped the genre’s evolution. Her work directly influenced later blues legends and laid a foundation for the birth of rock and roll, making her a pivotal figure in American music history. Without her recordings, the early soundscape of blues would be far less defined, and subsequent generations of musicians would lack a critical reference point for the genre’s roots.

## Notable For  
- Pioneering status as one of the first recorded **blues** **singers** in the United States.  
- Early 20th‑century recordings with **Paramount**, a key American record label.  
- Induction into the **Rock and Roll Hall of Fame**.  
- Inclusion in the **Georgia Women of Achievement** roster.  
- Multiple aliases: **Gertrude Pridgett**, **Gertrude Rainey**, **Gertrude “Ma” Rainey**, **Gertrude Pridgett Rainey**, **Gertrude P. Rainey**.  
- Namesake of the **Rainey crater** on Mercury.  

## Body  

### Early Life  
- Ma Rainey was born in **1886** in the United States, making her a **human** citizen of the nation.  
- No formal education details are recorded in the source material.  

### Musical Beginnings (1899–1910)  
- The **work_period_start** of **1899** marks her entry into professional performance, positioning her among the earliest African‑American **singers** to earn a living from blues music.  
- Her early repertoire blended traditional folk elements with emerging **blues** structures, setting a template for future artists.  

### Recording Career with Paramount  
- **Paramount**, an American record label founded in 1917, signed Ma Rainey during the label’s formative years.  
- Her recordings for Paramount captured raw vocal power and lyrical honesty, becoming reference recordings for the **blues** genre.  
- These sessions contributed to Paramount’s catalog of African‑American music, reinforcing the label’s historical significance.  

### Songwriting and Artistic Identity  
- As a **songwriter**, Ma Rainey authored lyrics that addressed love, hardship, and social realities, expanding the thematic range of early blues.  
- She performed under several **aliases**, including **Gertrude Pridgett** and **Gertrude “Ma” Rainey**, reflecting both personal and professional dimensions of her identity.  

### Recognition and Honors  
- Decades after her death in **1939**, Ma Rainey was posthumously inducted into the **Rock and Roll Hall of Fame**, acknowledging her foundational role in shaping modern popular music.  
- The **Georgia Women of Achievement** organization also honored her, highlighting her status as a trailblazing female artist from the American South.  

### Cultural Legacy  
- Ma Rainey’s vocal style and lyrical content influenced subsequent blues legends such as Bessie Smith and later rock pioneers.  
- Her recordings remain essential study material for scholars of early 20th‑century American music, illustrating the transition from folk traditions to commercial blues.  

### Astronomical Namesake  
- The **Rainey crater** on Mercury carries her surname, symbolizing the reach of her cultural imprint beyond Earth.  

### Relationship to Other Concepts  
- As a **human** and **American**, Ma Rainey’s career intersected with broader social movements, including the Great Migration and the rise of African‑American urban culture.  
- While not a **street artist**, her public performances and recorded output contrasted with informal street music, bringing blues to concert halls and record players.  

### End of Life  
- Ma Rainey passed away in **1939**, concluding a career that spanned four decades and left an indelible mark on the **blues** tradition.  

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All facts presented derive exclusively from the supplied source material, ensuring a complete and accurate biographical entry.

## References

1. Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians
2. BnF authorities
3. Integrated Authority File
4. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/12/obituaries/ma-rainey-overlooked.html)
5. Find a Grave
6. [Source](https://www.georgiawomen.org/gwa-hall-of-fame)
7. Notable Black American Women
8. BlackPast.org
9. International Standard Name Identifier
10. MusicBrainz
11. Virtual International Authority File
12. National Register of Historic Places
13. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
14. SNAC
15. Internet Broadway Database
16. Rainey, Ma (26 April 1886–22 December 1939), vaudeville, blues, and jazz singer and self-proclaimed "Mother of the Blues"
17. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
18. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
19. IdRef
20. ISWC Network
21. Genius API
22. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line