Rainey

Ma Rainey, known as the 'Mother of the Blues', was a pioneering African-American blues singer and recording artist active in the 1920s. Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1886, she performed with her Georgia Jazz Band and recorded influential blues songs like 'Soon This Morning' and 'Don't Fish In My Sea'. Rainey's powerful, emotive vocals and flamboyant stage presence made her a key figure in the early development of blues and jazz music.