![Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey Forged a Powerful Friendship That Helped Bring Blues to the Mainstream - Biography Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey Forged a Powerful Friendship That Helped Bring Blues to the Mainstream - Biography](https://www.biography.com/.image/t_share/MTMwMTc3MzA1Njk4OTQ1MDM0/ma_rainey_bessie_smith_wikimedia_commonsjpg.jpg)
Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey Forged a Powerful Friendship That Helped Bring Blues to the Mainstream - Biography
![Ma Rainey's Black Bottom': Did Ma Rainey have a sexual relationship with Bessie Smith? A look at their bond | MEAWW Ma Rainey's Black Bottom': Did Ma Rainey have a sexual relationship with Bessie Smith? A look at their bond | MEAWW](https://cheesecake.articleassets.meaww.com/512584/uploads/fda2b8b0-40ff-11eb-bee1-81f4c51d0dd2_800_420.png)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom': Did Ma Rainey have a sexual relationship with Bessie Smith? A look at their bond | MEAWW
![All they want is my voice': the real story of 'Mother of the Blues' Ma Rainey | Blues | The Guardian All they want is my voice': the real story of 'Mother of the Blues' Ma Rainey | Blues | The Guardian](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b3b6415bbb4295da3545e66b78da656d4b815f75/0_425_2867_1720/master/2867.jpg?width=1200&height=1200&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&s=8b37deb59e1fbff42a311e5f4f24ddb4)
All they want is my voice': the real story of 'Mother of the Blues' Ma Rainey | Blues | The Guardian
![16-ma-rainey-b-smith-f-mills-c-smith-i-cox-l-hegamin-t-smith-m-stafford-a-hunter-v-spivey-g-saunders-r-henderson - Friends of Music Hall 16-ma-rainey-b-smith-f-mills-c-smith-i-cox-l-hegamin-t-smith-m-stafford-a-hunter-v-spivey-g-saunders-r-henderson - Friends of Music Hall](https://friendsofmusichall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/16-ma-rainey-b-smith-f-mills-c-smith-i-cox-l-hegamin-t-smith-m-stafford-a-hunter-v-spivey-g-saunders-r-henderson.jpg)
16-ma-rainey-b-smith-f-mills-c-smith-i-cox-l-hegamin-t-smith-m-stafford-a-hunter-v-spivey-g-saunders-r-henderson - Friends of Music Hall
![Ma" Rainey (April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was the first great Black professional blues vocalist. Gertrude Malissa Nix Raine… | Bessie smith, Blues, Minstrel Ma" Rainey (April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was the first great Black professional blues vocalist. Gertrude Malissa Nix Raine… | Bessie smith, Blues, Minstrel](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/37/db/7c/37db7ccf74f1d2b601fff2603433d609.jpg)
Ma" Rainey (April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was the first great Black professional blues vocalist. Gertrude Malissa Nix Raine… | Bessie smith, Blues, Minstrel
![Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey Forged a Powerful Friendship That Helped Bring Blues to the Mainstream - Biography Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey Forged a Powerful Friendship That Helped Bring Blues to the Mainstream - Biography](https://www.biography.com/.image/ar_8:10%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3NTEzNDM0MTI3MDE3MzM3/gettyimages-85355663.jpg)