Ruby Smith Explained

Ruby Smith
Birth Name:Ruby Walker
Birth Date:24 August 1903
Birth Place:New York City, United States
Death Place:Anaheim, California, United States
Instrument:Vocals
Genre:Classic female blues
Occupation:Singer, songwriter
Years Active:1938 - 1947
Label:Bluebird, various

Ruby Smith (August 24, 1903  - March 24, 1977) was an American classic female blues singer. She was a niece, by marriage, of the better-known Bessie Smith, who discouraged Ruby from pursuing a recording career. Nevertheless, following Bessie's death in 1937, Ruby recorded twenty-one sides between 1938 and 1947. She is also known for her candid observations on her own and Bessie's lifestyle.[1]

Biography

She was born Ruby Walker in New York City.[2] She met Bessie Smith, her aunt (by marriage), in Philadelphia. After Bessie's debut recording, in February 1923, Ruby joined her on tour in 1924. Ruby assisted off-stage with costume changes and provided entertainment during intermissions by dancing. Ruby's thoughts of a career as a singer were initially thwarted in 1926 at Bessie's insistence, but they continued traveling together on tour. In Atlanta, Georgia, Ruby spent a night in jail after being caught bringing moonshine for her aunt to consume. In 1927, Ruby was part of the female entourage led by Bessie to the "buffet flats" in Detroit, Michigan. A lengthy recorded interview she gave to Chris Albertson contained references to this time and others,[1] and the recording became part of Bessie Smith's The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5: The Final Chapter box set.[2] [3] Of a particularly "open house" sex show, Smith said, "People used to pay good just to go in there and see him do his act."[4]

Later Jack Gee, who was married to Bessie at the time, once implored Ruby to take the musical stage after her aunt had walked out in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, the deception did not last long, and in the event Bessie died in 1937.[2] Shortly afterwards, Ruby adopted the stage name Ruby Smith, and less than a year later she recorded six tracks, including a cover version of Bessie's "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair Blues". At the same session she recorded her version of "Draggin' My Heart Around", by Alex Hill.[2]

In March 1939, Smith recorded, under the musical direction of James P. Johnson, "He's Mine, All Mine" and "Backwater Blues" (the latter written by Bessie Smith and Johnson). In December 1941, backed by an ensemble led by Sammy Price, she recorded two more tracks, "Why Don't You Love Me Anymore?" and her own song "Harlem Gin Blues". Her final recording sessions took place in August 1946 and January 1947, when she was backed by Gene Sedric's band.[2]

Smith died on March 24, 1977, in Anaheim, California, at the age of 73.[2]

Her recorded work has been issued on several compilation albums, including Jazzin' the Blues (1943–1952), released by Document Records in 2000.[5]

Recordings

Recording dateTrackSongwriterMusical directionRecord label
May 18, 1938 "Dream Man Blues" Bluebird
May 18, 1938 "Selfish Blues" Bluebird
May 18, 1938 "Hard Up Blues" Bluebird
May 18, 1938 "'Lectric Chair Blues" Joe Davis / Spencer Williams Blind John Davis Bluebird
May 18, 1938 "Flyin' Mosquito Blues" Bluebird
May 18, 1938 "Draggin' My Heart Around" Bluebird
March 9, 1939 "Backwater Blues" James P. Johnson
March 9, 1939 "He's Mine All Mine" James P. Johnson
October 15, 1941 "Make Me Love You" Porter Grainger
October 15, 1941 "Fruit Cakin' Mama" Porter Grainger Decca
October 15, 1941 "Black Gal" Porter Grainger Sammy Price Decca
October 15, 1941 "Thinkin' Blues" Bessie Smith
December 10, 1941 "Why Don't You Love Me Anymore?" Walmsley Sammy Price Decca
December 10, 1941 "Harlem Gin Blues" Ruby Smith Sammy Price Decca
August 1946 "Chicago Woman Blues" (Part 1) Neil Lawrence Harmonia
August 1946 "Chicago Woman Blues" (Part 2) Neil Lawrence Gene Sedric Harmonia
August 1946 "Baby, Baby, Baby Blues" Neil Lawrence Gene Sedric
August 1946 "Sedric's Blues" Gene Sedric
January 8, 1947 "You Satisfy" Gene Sedric RCA Victor
January 8, 1947 "Port Wine Blues" Bill Samuels Gene Sedric RCA Victor
January 8, 1947 "Hot Sauce Susie" Alphonse Demboe Gene Sedric RCA Victor
January 8, 1947 "I'm Scared of That Woman" Gene Sedric RCA Victor
[2] [6] [7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joseph , Gloria I. . 1981. Common Differences: Conflicts in Black and White Feminist Perspectives. South End Press . Boston. 0-89608-317-9. 183/4.
  2. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p126522|pure_url=yes}} Ruby Smith]. Arwulf Arwulf . Allmusic.com . October 9, 2011.
  3. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r232718/review|pure_url=yes}} ''The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5: The Final Chapter'': Review]. AllMusic.com.
  4. Chauncey, George (1994). . New York: Basic Books. pp. 250–253. Chapter 8, notes 71, 78. . Note 71 cites Charles Albertson, "Interview with Ruby Smith", quoted by Eric Garber, "A Spectacle in Color: The Lesbian and Gay Subculture of Jazz Age Harlem", in Hidden from History: Reclaiming the Gay and Lesbian Past. Martin Duberman, Martha Vicinus, and George Chauncey, eds. New York: New American Library, 1989, pp. 318–333. Note 78 cites Hazel V. Carby, "Policing the Black Women's Body in the Urban Context", Critical Inquiry (1992), pp. 738–755.
  5. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r535402/review|pure_url=yes}} ''Jazzin' the Blues (1943–1952)'': Review]. AllMusic.com .
  6. Book: Koenig , Karl . 2002. Jazz in Print (1856–1929): An Anthology of Selected Early Readings in Jazz. Pendragon Press . Hillsdale, New York . 1-57647-024-5. 432.
  7. Web site: Sammy Price & the Blues Singers, vol 1: 1938–1941 . Document-records.com . October 9, 2011.