Mary Stafford (singer)
Encyclopedia
Mary Stafford was an American cabaret
singer in the classic blues
style. In January, 1921, she became the first African American
woman to record for Columbia Records
. She toured widely throughout the mid-Atlantic in the 1920s and into the 1930s. She performed at the Lafayette Theater in New York City
, where she appeared in Rocking Chair Revue in 1931 and in Dear Old Southland in 1932. After 1932 she worked outside the music industry in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, where she is thought to have died ca. 1938.
Among the 14 sides she recorded between 1921 and 1926 were covers
of some of the most popular blues of the day, such as "Royal Garden Blues", "Crazy Blues", and "Arkansas Blues", as well as others such as "I'm Gonna Jazz My Way Right Straight Thru Paradise" and "Take Your Finger Off It".
Her complete recordings have been reissued in CD
format by Document Records
on Female Blues Singers Volume 13: R/S (1921–1931) – (DOCD-5517).
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
singer in the classic blues
Classic female blues
Classic female blues was an early form of blues music, popular in the 1920s. An amalgam of traditional folk blues and urban theater music, the style is also known as vaudeville blues. Classic blues were performed by female vocalists accompanied by pianists or small jazz ensembles, and were the...
style. In January, 1921, she became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
woman to record for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. She toured widely throughout the mid-Atlantic in the 1920s and into the 1930s. She performed at the Lafayette Theater in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she appeared in Rocking Chair Revue in 1931 and in Dear Old Southland in 1932. After 1932 she worked outside the music industry in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, where she is thought to have died ca. 1938.
Among the 14 sides she recorded between 1921 and 1926 were covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of some of the most popular blues of the day, such as "Royal Garden Blues", "Crazy Blues", and "Arkansas Blues", as well as others such as "I'm Gonna Jazz My Way Right Straight Thru Paradise" and "Take Your Finger Off It".
Her complete recordings have been reissued in CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format by Document Records
Document Records
Document Records is a British record label that specializes in early American blues, bluegrass, gospel, spirituals jazz, and other rural American genres , generally made between 1900 and 1945...
on Female Blues Singers Volume 13: R/S (1921–1931) – (DOCD-5517).