Ma Rainey

Ma Rainey was not the first blues singer, however, she should have been. She was involved in an era which women were the marquee names in the genre of blues. She earned her name "The Mother of Blues", because she had been singing the blues for over 20 years before she recorded her debut record. She also shared a repertoire of minstrel and pop songs, however had a grittier/tougher vocal delivery than most cabaret singers of blues.