Clara Smith

Clara Smith was born to parents Selena and William Smith in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.[2] She is not believed to have any siblings. She was never enrolled in school but was recorded on the census as able to read and write.[2] Blues historians thinks that Smith most likely was introduced in her youth to "traveling tent shows"[3] that frequently stopped in Spartanburg and sparked her interest in performance.

In 1910, Smith began working on African-American theater circuits, in tent shows, and vaudeville. By the late 1918[4] she was appearing as a headliner with the Theater Owners Bookers Association circuit across Southern states. By 1923, she had performed at major theatres of the time such as the Lyric in New Orleans, the Dream Theatre in Columbus, Georgia, the Bijou Theatre in Nashville, and the Booker T. Washington Theatre in St. Louis.[2]

In 1923, she settled in New York City, appearing at cabarets and speakeasies there. She was immediately signed by Columbia Records. That same year she made the first of her commercially successful series of gramophone recordings with Columbia Records,[5] working with many other musicians such as Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong,[6] and Don Redman.[7] She recorded two duets with Bessie Smith: "My Man Blues" and "Far Away Blues" (Columbia 14098-D), on September 1, 1925. She recorded Tom Delaney's "Troublesome Blues" in 1927.[8] Her music began as gloomy accounts of love lost, however, she progressed to more upbeat songs. Her May 1926 recording of "Whip It to a Jelly", was noted as "one of the more overt sexual blues". Smith recorded exclusively with Columbia Records, amassing a total of 122 tracks,[9] with her record sales being topped only by Bessie Smith. Clara Smith was known all across the country, even performing on the West coast, which was rare for a blues singer.[10]

During her time performing, Smith met young Josephine Baker and chose to mentor to her.[2] Smith is also accredited for giving Baker her start in the recording business, having hired her as a dresser for her at the age of 13.[11] Smith and Baker are thought to have had a romantic relationship for a time,[12] notably being referred to as "lady lovers"[2] by a colleague.

In 1933 she was on the road in Detroit, Michigan, and worked at theaters in revues there until her hospitalization in early 1935 for heart disease, of which she later died.[3]

• List of blues musicians
• Classic female blues
• List of Classic female blues singers
• List of vaudeville performers: L-Z

• Gravemarker at Deadbluesguys website
• Biography and Discography in Red Hot Jazz Archive
• Clara Smith recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
• Clara Smith
• Open Music Archive - Browse