Mamie Smith

She appeared in further films, including Mystery in Swing, Sunday Sinners (1940), Stolen Paradise, Murder on Lenox Avenue (1941), and Because I Love You (1943). In 1980 (see 1980 in music), several members departed, and the remainder continued performing for the next two decades, and are still a popular live draw. She returned to performing in 1939 to appear in the motion picture Paradise in Harlem. They left Avco for H&I and the Stylistics' popularity rapidly declined in the US, though their British popularity continued for the rest of the 70s. She retired from recording and performing in 1931. They struggled hard to find producers who could come up with the right material, and partnerships with Hugo & Luigi and Van McCoy were notably unsuccessful. Mamie Smith appeared in an early soundie, Jail House Blues, in 1929. Just as with The Delfonics, The Stylistics were to some extent a vehicle for Bell's own creativity.

(Shortly later, this billing of Mamie Smith was one-upped by Bessie Smith, who called herself "The Empress of the Blues".). The group split with Thom Bell in 1974, and the split proved devastating commerically to the group. She was billed as "The Queen of the Blues". Their hits from this period included "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "You Make Me Feel Brand New" "Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart" and "You Are Everything". She toured the United States and Europe with her band "Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds" as part of "Mamie Smith's Struttin' Along Review". The bittersweet lyrics from Creed were a key factor in creating hugely memorable music. She also made some records for Victor. Bell imported the sweet soul techniques he had perfected with the Delfonics and his arragmements worked perfectly with Thompkins' falsetto.

Mamie Smith continued to make a series of popular recordings for Okeh throughout the 1920s. Signing to Avco Records, the Stylistics began working with producer Thom Bell, who had already produced a catalogue of hits for The Delfonics, and songwriter Linda Creed. It also opened up the record industry to recordings by and for African Americans in other genres. They had their first hit in 1971 (see 1971 in music) with "You're a Big Girl Now". The success of Smith's record prompted record companies to seek to record other female blues singers and started the era of what is now known as classic female blues. They formed in 1968 (see 1968 in music) and comprised Russell Thompkins Jr, Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. Johnson in the 1890s), they were all black artists who had a substantial following with white audiences. The Stylistics are one of the most well-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s.

Although other African Americans had been recorded earlier (going back to George W. "Crazy Blues" in particular was noted as a distinctively "colored" number performed by a "colored" performer. To the surprise of record companies, large numbers of the record were purchased by African-Americans, a market the record industry had hitherto neglected. These were the first recordings of vocal blues by an African American singer, and the record became an explosive best seller, selling a million copies in one year.

On August 10 of 1920, Smith recorded the Bradford-penned "Crazy Blues" and "It's Right Here For You, If You Don't Get It, 'Tain't No Fault of Mine". Smith's record sold moderately well, so she and Bradford were invited back to make additional recordings. Smith recorded two sides ("That Thing Called Love" and "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down") on February 14, 1920, backed by a white studio band. Tucker was ill and could not make it to the session; Bradford persuaded Okeh to allow Mamie Smith to record in Tucker's place.

In early 1920, Okeh Records planned to record popular singer Sophie Tucker performing a pair of songs by Perry Bradford. She appeared in songwriter Perry Bradford's musical "Made in Harlem" in 1918. Smith was born as Mamie Robinson in Cincinnati, Ohio. She toured with African-American vaudeville and minstrel shows until settling in New York City in 1913, where she worked as a cabaret singer. She entered blues history by being the first African American to make vocal blues recordings in 1920.

As a vaudeville singer she performed a number of styles including jazz and blues. Mamie Smith (May 26, 1883 - September 16, 1946) was a vaudeville singer, dancer, pianist and actress, and appeared in several motion pictures late in her career.