Smith, Trixie (1895–1943)
Smith, Trixie (1895–1943)
American blues singer whose recordings with Louis Armstrong are particularly remembered. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1895; died in New York City on September 21, 1943.
Trixie Smith was born in 1895 in Atlanta, Georgia, and studied at Selma University before she decided to focus on singing. In 1915, she left the South for New York where she appeared in numerous vaudeville shows and eventually became a featured vocalist. When blues became the rage in the 1920s, Smith began recording on the Black Swan label. In 1922, she entered a blues contest in New York and won first place with "Trixie's Blues," also recorded by Black Swan. Smith is particularly remembered for "Railroad Blues" and "The World Is Jazz Crazy and So Am I" which featured Louis Armstrong on cornet. In the 1920s, blues singers named Smith predominated: Bessie Smith , Clara Smith , and Mamie Smith were all performing at the same time as Trixie Smith. But by 1926, Smith's recording career was effectively over, even though she recorded for Decca in the late 1930s. She continued to work on stage in cabaret revues, musical shows, and theatrical productions until her death in 1943.
sources:
Santelli, Robert. The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia. NY: Penguin, 1993.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia