MUSICIAN

Ma Rainey

1886 - 1939

Photo of Ma Rainey

Icon of person Ma Rainey

Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (née Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early-blues recording artist. Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of southern blues, influencing a generation of blues singers. Rainey was known for her powerful vocal abilities, energetic disposition, majestic phrasing, and a "moaning" style of singing. Her qualities are present and most evident in her early recordings "Bo-Weevil Blues" and "Moonshine Blues". Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Ma Rainey is the 731st most popular musician (down from 662nd in 2019), the 4,012th most popular biography from United States (down from 3,387th in 2019) and the 229th most popular American Musician.

Memorability Metrics

Loading...

Page views of Ma Rainey by language

Loading...

Among MUSICIANS

Among musicians, Ma Rainey ranks 731 out of 3,175. Before her are Giovanni Sgambati, Michael Stipe, Lonnie Johnson, Louis Prima, Gene Krupa, and Mick Mars. After her are Johann Kaspar Mertz, Armando Manzanero, Manfred Mann, Stewart Copeland, Claude Bolling, and Frans Brüggen.

Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1886, Ma Rainey ranks 123. Before her are Charlie Ruggles, Kurt Schmitt, Toivo Mikael Kivimäki, Prince Adalbert of Bavaria, Anandyn Amar, and Lyuh Woon-hyung. After her are José Linhares, Marthe Bibesco, Ty Cobb, Jean Hersholt, Rash Behari Bose, and Georgios Tsolakoglou. Among people deceased in 1939, Ma Rainey ranks 75. Before her are Archibald Leitch, Grigori Sokolnikov, Fyodor Raskolnikov, S. S. Van Dine, Konstantin Somov, and Zinaida Yusupova. After her are Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, Charles Tournemire, Stjepan Sarkotić, Francisco León de la Barra, Henry, Duke of Parma, and Pavel Postyshev.

Others Born in 1886

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Others Deceased in 1939

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

In United States

Among people born in United States, Ma Rainey ranks 4,012 out of 20,380. Before her are Lonnie Johnson (1899), Louis Prima (1910), Josh Dallas (1978), Gene Krupa (1909), Gig Young (1913), and Mick Mars (1951). After her are Paul Winfield (1939), Alan Sokal (1955), Maurice Hilleman (1919), Josh Hartnett (1978), Dita Von Teese (1972), and Paul Rudd (1969).

Others born in United States

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Among MUSICIANS In United States

Among musicians born in United States, Ma Rainey ranks 229. Before her are Robert Gordon (1947), Michael Stipe (1960), Lonnie Johnson (1899), Louis Prima (1910), Gene Krupa (1909), and Mick Mars (1951). After her are Stewart Copeland (1952), Desmond Child (1953), Tim Buckley (1947), Johnny Horton (1925), Steve Gadd (1945), and McCoy Tyner (1938).

American born Musicians

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous