The True Story Behind Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
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VOICE OVER: Emily Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Nick Spake
It's a great film, but what's the true story behind "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom?" In this video, we look over her life.
Script written by Nick Spake
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re discussing the true story behind “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” What did you think of the film and its depiction of Ma Rainey? Let us know in the comments!
Before it was an Oscar-nominated Netflix film starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” was a Tony-nominated stage play written by August Wilson. This 1982 play was one of ten that Wilson wrote as part of his Pittsburgh Cycle, or Century Cycle, series. Each play explores what life was like for Black people in the US during the 20th century, each set in a different decade. While nine of the plays take place in Pittsburgh, “Ma Rainey” is distinguished by its Chicago backdrop. Both the play and film adaption have received almost universal praise, but how much of the story is historically accurate?
While Rainey did perform with a band, the members seen in the film and play are fictional. This includes Boseman’s Levee Green, a cocky trumpet player determined to hit it big. That said, the hardships Levee endures do reflect the struggles that many aspiring African-American musicians faced throughout the early 20th century. As for the trumpeters who did back Ma Rainey, Louis Armstrong is the most famous, but she also worked with Tommy Ladnier and Joe Smith. Pianist Jimmy Blythe, guitarist Blind Blake, and bandleader Lovie Austin are just some of the other names associated with Ma Rainey’s act. While Wilson invented most of the supporting players for his script, he remained faithful to Ma Rainey’s spirit. Wilson authentically conveys Rainey’s sexuality, commanding presence, and underappreciated impact on the blues.
Ma Rainey was born Gertrude Pridgett, although it’s unclear where and when. It’s generally believed that she was born on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia, but the 1900 census suggests it was Russell County, Alabama four years prior. Either way, Gertrude was the second-born of Thomas and Ella Pridgett, who had five children overall. Her parents were both minstrel troupers and it wasn’t long until Gertrude caught the performing bug as well. Following her father’s death, Gertrude began her professional singing career somewhere between the ages of ten and fourteen. Her first major gig was “The Bunch of Blackberries,” a 1900 talent show at the Springer Opera House. Two years later while touring in Missouri, Gertrude discovered blues music, a genre that would become synonymous with her act.
In 1904, Gertrude married traveling singer and comedian William “Pa” Rainey, thus adopting the stage name Ma Rainey. The two hit the road together, performing with The Rabbit’s Foot Company, aka Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and eventually starting a group of their own, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. During this time, Ma Rainey crossed paths with a fellow blues singer named Bessie Smith. It’s believed by some that Rainey helped shape Smith’s act, although their relationship wasn’t strictly professional. As both were openly bisexual women, it’s been rumored that the two were romantically involved. The character Dussie Mae is even loosely inspired by Smith. In any case, the two shared a close bond. In 1925, Rainey was reportedly arrested in Harlem for throwing a “lesbian party” and Smith bailed her out the following day.
About nine years before that incident, Ma Rainey and Pa Rainey separated. Flying solo, she headlined Madam Gertrude Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Smart Set, a tent show consisting of a male and female chorus line. Rainey hit the big time when she caught the attention of Paramount Records producer J. Mayo Williams, who specialized in “race records.” Signing with Paramount in 1923, Ma Rainey would be marketed under many nicknames, although the most well-known was the Mother of the Blues. She more than earned this title. Providing a link between white-oriented vaudeville acts and the southern country blues that appealed to Black audiences, Rainey gave birth to “classic blues,” as some have called it.
During her time with Paramount, she recorded more than 100 songs, such as “Bo-Weevil Blues,” “Moonshine Blues,” and, of course, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Rainey was heavily involved in the creative process, writing at least one-third of her songs. Through her music, Rainey expressed what it was like to be Black, female, and bisexual in 20th century America. Aside from her “moaning” singing style, Rainey stood out with a signature look composed of gold teeth, ostrich feathers, diamond tiaras, and other accessories. While Rainey was made for live performances, her showmanship and charisma would carry over to her recordings.
Rainey’s popularity put her in a position of power at a time when white men typically held all the cards. She was every bit as resilient and outspoken as Viola Davis’ portrayal, but she had to fight every step of the way. Her time in the spotlight wouldn’t last long. After only five years, Paramount ended their contract with Rainey, believing that her brand of blues music was no longer “fashionable.” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” takes place in 1927, one year before her final recording sessions. It was common during this period for Black performers to sign away their ownership rights. It’s unknown if Rainey received any royalties for the songs she recorded at Paramount following her exit. What we do know is that her recordings weren’t well-preserved after the studio went bankrupt in the 30s.
As her songs fell out of print, Ma Rainey’s star began to fade. While she didn’t walk away from vaudeville immediately, touring wasn’t nearly as lucrative thanks to the Great Depression. Rainey ultimately returned to Georgia in 1935 where she settled down. Showing that she was just as much a businesswoman as she was a performer, Rainey became the owner of the Airdome, Liberty, and Lyric theaters. In 1939, Rainey passed away from a heart attack at the relatively young age of 53. Over the next couple of decades, Rainey maintained her status as an unsung heroine of the blues. Rainey finally started to get the attention she deserved in the 1960s when her songs were reissued.
In addition to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith, Rainey influenced Thomas Dorsey, Pops Foster, and other musicians of her era. Her impact even extended to performers who were born well after her death, such as Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. Rainey’s legacy wasn’t limited to music either. While writing “The Color Purple,” author Alice Walker drew inspiration from Rainey while developing the character Shug Avery. Sterling Allen Brown dedicated a 1932 poem to Ma Rainey and she also inspired a line from Langston Hughes’s 1952 poem “Shadow of the Blues”: “To tell the truth, if I stop and listen, I can still hear her.”
More and more people have stopped and listened over the years. Ma Rainey’s legacy has been immortalized in the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Then there’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which has only exposed the Mother of the Blues to a wider audience. For all the creative liberties the play and film take, both get to the center of who Rainey was, how she forever changed music, and why she should be a household name.
The True Story Behind Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re discussing the true story behind “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” What did you think of the film and its depiction of Ma Rainey? Let us know in the comments!
Before it was an Oscar-nominated Netflix film starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” was a Tony-nominated stage play written by August Wilson. This 1982 play was one of ten that Wilson wrote as part of his Pittsburgh Cycle, or Century Cycle, series. Each play explores what life was like for Black people in the US during the 20th century, each set in a different decade. While nine of the plays take place in Pittsburgh, “Ma Rainey” is distinguished by its Chicago backdrop. Both the play and film adaption have received almost universal praise, but how much of the story is historically accurate?
While Rainey did perform with a band, the members seen in the film and play are fictional. This includes Boseman’s Levee Green, a cocky trumpet player determined to hit it big. That said, the hardships Levee endures do reflect the struggles that many aspiring African-American musicians faced throughout the early 20th century. As for the trumpeters who did back Ma Rainey, Louis Armstrong is the most famous, but she also worked with Tommy Ladnier and Joe Smith. Pianist Jimmy Blythe, guitarist Blind Blake, and bandleader Lovie Austin are just some of the other names associated with Ma Rainey’s act. While Wilson invented most of the supporting players for his script, he remained faithful to Ma Rainey’s spirit. Wilson authentically conveys Rainey’s sexuality, commanding presence, and underappreciated impact on the blues.
Ma Rainey was born Gertrude Pridgett, although it’s unclear where and when. It’s generally believed that she was born on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia, but the 1900 census suggests it was Russell County, Alabama four years prior. Either way, Gertrude was the second-born of Thomas and Ella Pridgett, who had five children overall. Her parents were both minstrel troupers and it wasn’t long until Gertrude caught the performing bug as well. Following her father’s death, Gertrude began her professional singing career somewhere between the ages of ten and fourteen. Her first major gig was “The Bunch of Blackberries,” a 1900 talent show at the Springer Opera House. Two years later while touring in Missouri, Gertrude discovered blues music, a genre that would become synonymous with her act.
In 1904, Gertrude married traveling singer and comedian William “Pa” Rainey, thus adopting the stage name Ma Rainey. The two hit the road together, performing with The Rabbit’s Foot Company, aka Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and eventually starting a group of their own, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. During this time, Ma Rainey crossed paths with a fellow blues singer named Bessie Smith. It’s believed by some that Rainey helped shape Smith’s act, although their relationship wasn’t strictly professional. As both were openly bisexual women, it’s been rumored that the two were romantically involved. The character Dussie Mae is even loosely inspired by Smith. In any case, the two shared a close bond. In 1925, Rainey was reportedly arrested in Harlem for throwing a “lesbian party” and Smith bailed her out the following day.
About nine years before that incident, Ma Rainey and Pa Rainey separated. Flying solo, she headlined Madam Gertrude Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Smart Set, a tent show consisting of a male and female chorus line. Rainey hit the big time when she caught the attention of Paramount Records producer J. Mayo Williams, who specialized in “race records.” Signing with Paramount in 1923, Ma Rainey would be marketed under many nicknames, although the most well-known was the Mother of the Blues. She more than earned this title. Providing a link between white-oriented vaudeville acts and the southern country blues that appealed to Black audiences, Rainey gave birth to “classic blues,” as some have called it.
During her time with Paramount, she recorded more than 100 songs, such as “Bo-Weevil Blues,” “Moonshine Blues,” and, of course, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Rainey was heavily involved in the creative process, writing at least one-third of her songs. Through her music, Rainey expressed what it was like to be Black, female, and bisexual in 20th century America. Aside from her “moaning” singing style, Rainey stood out with a signature look composed of gold teeth, ostrich feathers, diamond tiaras, and other accessories. While Rainey was made for live performances, her showmanship and charisma would carry over to her recordings.
Rainey’s popularity put her in a position of power at a time when white men typically held all the cards. She was every bit as resilient and outspoken as Viola Davis’ portrayal, but she had to fight every step of the way. Her time in the spotlight wouldn’t last long. After only five years, Paramount ended their contract with Rainey, believing that her brand of blues music was no longer “fashionable.” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” takes place in 1927, one year before her final recording sessions. It was common during this period for Black performers to sign away their ownership rights. It’s unknown if Rainey received any royalties for the songs she recorded at Paramount following her exit. What we do know is that her recordings weren’t well-preserved after the studio went bankrupt in the 30s.
As her songs fell out of print, Ma Rainey’s star began to fade. While she didn’t walk away from vaudeville immediately, touring wasn’t nearly as lucrative thanks to the Great Depression. Rainey ultimately returned to Georgia in 1935 where she settled down. Showing that she was just as much a businesswoman as she was a performer, Rainey became the owner of the Airdome, Liberty, and Lyric theaters. In 1939, Rainey passed away from a heart attack at the relatively young age of 53. Over the next couple of decades, Rainey maintained her status as an unsung heroine of the blues. Rainey finally started to get the attention she deserved in the 1960s when her songs were reissued.
In addition to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith, Rainey influenced Thomas Dorsey, Pops Foster, and other musicians of her era. Her impact even extended to performers who were born well after her death, such as Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. Rainey’s legacy wasn’t limited to music either. While writing “The Color Purple,” author Alice Walker drew inspiration from Rainey while developing the character Shug Avery. Sterling Allen Brown dedicated a 1932 poem to Ma Rainey and she also inspired a line from Langston Hughes’s 1952 poem “Shadow of the Blues”: “To tell the truth, if I stop and listen, I can still hear her.”
More and more people have stopped and listened over the years. Ma Rainey’s legacy has been immortalized in the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Then there’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which has only exposed the Mother of the Blues to a wider audience. For all the creative liberties the play and film take, both get to the center of who Rainey was, how she forever changed music, and why she should be a household name.
