Mamie Smith

Mamie Smith was an American vaudeville singer, dancer, pianist and actress. As a vaudeville singer she performed in various styles, including jazz and blues. In 1920, she entered blues history as the first AfricanAmerican artist to make vocal blues recordings. Willie The Lion Smith described the background of that recording in his autobiography, Music on My Mind.

Robinson was probably born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but no records of her birth are known. When she was ten years old, she found work touring with a white act, the Four Dancing Mitchells. As a teenager, she danced in Salem Tutt Whitneys Smart Set. In 1913, she left the Tutt Brothers to sing in clubs in Harlem and married William Smitty Smith, a singer.

Source: Wikipedia