Big Maybelle

{{Short description|American R&B singer (1924–1972)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Big Maybelle | image = Big Maybelle (ref.).jpg | caption = | birth_name = Mabel Louise Smith | birth_date = {{birth date|1924|5|1|mf=y}} | birth_place = Jackson, Tennessee, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1972|1|23|1924|5|1}} | death_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | genre = R&B, blues, gospel | occupation = Vocalist | years_active = 1936–1972 | label = King Records, Okeh, Savoy, Epic, Brunswick, Scepter, Chess, Port, Rojac, Encore }}

'''Mabel Louise Smith''' (May 1, 1924 – January 23, 1972),<ref name="amg"/> known professionally as '''Big Maybelle''', was an American R&B singer. Her 1956 hit single "Candy" received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame |title=GRAMMY Hall Of Fame |publisher=GRAMMY.org |access-date=2015-08-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707235113/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame |archive-date=July 7, 2015 }}</ref>

==Childhood and musical background== Born in Jackson, Tennessee, on May 1, 1924, Big Maybelle sang gospel as a child; by her teens, she had switched to rhythm and blues. She began her professional career with Dave Clark's Memphis Band in 1936, and also toured with the all-female International Sweethearts of Rhythm.<ref name="russell">{{cite book | first= Tony | last= Russell | year= 1997 | title= The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray | publisher=Carlton Books Limited | location= Dubai | page= 92 | isbn= 1-85868-255-X}}</ref> She then joined Christine Chatman's Orchestra, and made her first recordings with Chatman in 1944, before recording with the Tiny Bradshaw's Orchestra from 1947 to 1950.<ref>Santelli, Robert. ''The Big Book of Blues'', Penguin Books, p. 40 (2001) - {{ISBN|0-14-100145-3}}</ref>

Her debut solo recordings, recorded as '''Mabel Smith''', were for King Records in 1947.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=131}}</ref>

==Okeh Records== In 1952, she was signed by Okeh Records, whose record producer Fred Mendelsohn gave her the stage name 'Big Maybelle' because of her loud yet well-toned voice.<ref>Nigel Williamson, ''The Rough Guide To The Blues'' (2007) - {{ISBN|1-84353-519-X}}</ref> Her first recording for Okeh, "Gabbin' Blues", was a number 3 hit on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart, and was followed up by both "Way Back Home" and "My Country Man" in 1953.<ref name="Larkin"/>

In 1955, she recorded the song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", produced by up-and-coming producer Quincy Jones,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/Maybelle.html |title=Maybelle |publisher=Home.earthlink.net |access-date=2015-08-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405204632/http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/Maybelle.html |archive-date=2010-04-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a full two years before rockabilly then rock and roll singer Jerry Lee Lewis's version. Lewis credited Smith's version as being the inspiration to make his version much louder, raunchy and raucous, with a driving beat and a spoken section with a come-on that was considered very risque for the time.

==Savoy Records== More hits followed throughout the 1950s, particularly after signing with Savoy Records later in 1955, including "Candy" (1956), one of her biggest sellers.<ref name="Larkin"/>

During this time, she also appeared on stage at the Apollo Theater in New York City in 1957, and at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival she sang "All Night Long/I Ain't Mad at You", as seen in Bert Stern's film of the festival, ''Jazz on a Summer's Day'',<ref name="Larkin"/> in which Mahalia Jackson and Dinah Washington also performed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052942/|title=Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959)|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref>

==Career decline== After 1959, she recorded for a variety of labels, but the hits largely dried up. She continued to perform into the early 1960s. Her last hit single was in 1967, a cover of "96 Tears" by Question Mark & the Mysterians.<ref>Larkin, Colin. ''The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', Guinness Publishing, page 243, (1992) - {{ISBN|0-85112-939-0}}</ref> By the 1960s, Maybelle's heroin use began detrimentally impacting her career.<ref name="russell" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Evans|first=David|url=http://archive.org/details/nprcuriouslisten0000evan|title=The NPR curious listener's guide to blues|date=2005|publisher=New York : Berkley Pub. Group|isbn=978-0-399-53072-2|pages=102–103}}</ref>

==Death== Smith died of a diabetic coma on January 23, 1972, in Cleveland, Ohio.<ref name="amg" /> She had been frequently ill during the previous 18 months.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1972-01-25|title=BIG MAYBELLE SMITH, BLUES SINGER, DEAD|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/01/25/archives/big-maybelle-smith-blues-singer-dead.html|access-date=2021-12-02|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> She was survived by her only child, Barbara Smith, and five grandchildren.<ref name="amg">{{cite web|author=Bill Dahl |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/big-maybelle-mn0000066228/biography |title=Big Maybelle | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref>

Her final album, ''Last of Big Maybelle'', was released posthumously in 1973.

==Legacy== The album ''The Okeh Sessions'', released on the Epic label, won the 1983 W.C. Handy Award for "Vintage or Reissue Album of the Year (U.S.)".<ref>[http://www.blues.org/handys/pastyears.php4?YearId=23 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050216034635/http://www.blues.org/handys/pastyears.php4?YearId=23 |date=February 16, 2005 }}</ref> In 2011, she was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.blues.org/halloffame/#ref=halloffame_inductees ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822221230/http://www.blues.org/halloffame/#ref=halloffame_inductees |date=August 22, 2009 }}</ref>

Her version of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" was included in the soundtrack for ''Fallout 4'' as part of the Diamond City Radio playlist.

==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable" |- !Year !Title !Genre !Label |- |2016 |''The Complete King, OKeh & Savoy Releases 1947-61'' |R&B |Acrobat [UK] [2CD] |- |2007 |''I've Got a Feelin' (OKeh & Savoy Recordings 1952-56)'' |R&B |Rev-Ola Bandstand |- |2004 |''The Chronological Big Maybelle 1944-1953'' |R&B |Classics 'Blues & Rhythm' |- |2001 |''Maybelle's Blues'' |R&B |Sony Music Special Products |- |2001 |''Candy! (Savoy Blues Legends)'' |R&B |Savoy Jazz [2CD] |- |2001 |''Half Heaven, Half Heartache (The Brunswick Recordings)'' |R&B |Westside [UK] |- |1998 |''The Very Best of Big Maybelle "That's All"'' |R&B |Collectables |- |1995 |''Blues, Candy and Big Maybelle'' |R&B |Savoy Jazz |- |1994 |''Maybelle Sings the Blues'' |R&B |Charly [UK] |- |1994 |''The Complete OKeh Sessions 1952-55'' |R&B |Epic/Legacy EK-53417 |- |1983 |''The OKeh Sessions'' |R&B |Epic EG-38456 [2LP] |- |1973 |''The Last of Big Maybelle'' |R&B |Paramount PAS-1011 |- |1969 |''Saga of the Good Life and Hard Times'' |R&B |Rojac 123 |- |1968 |''The Gospel Soul of Big Maybelle'' |Gospel |Brunswick BL-754142 |- |1968 |''"Gabbin' Blues" and Other Big Hits'' |R&B |Encore EE-22012 |- |1967 |''Got a Brand New Bag'' |R&B |Rojac 122 |- |1965 |''The Soul of Big Maybelle'' |R&B |Scepter 522 |- |1962 |''What More Can a Woman Do?'' |R&B |Brunswick BL-754107 |- |1959 |''The Blues: Mamie Webster Sings W.C.Handy'' |R&B |Cub (MGM) 8002 |- |1958 |''Blues, Candy and Big Maybelle'' |R&B |Savoy MG-14011 |- |1958 |''Big Maybelle Sings'' |R&B |Savoy MG-14005 |- |1954 |''Big Maybelle'' |R&B |Epic EG-7071 |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single (A-side, B-side) {{small|Both tracks from same album except where indicated}} ! colspan="2"| Chart Positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! style="width:40px;"| US Pop<ref>{{cite book|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|year=2003|title=Top Pop Singles 1955-2002|edition=1st|publisher=Record Research Inc.|location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin|isbn=0-89820-155-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/57 57]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/57}}</ref> ! style="width:40px;"| US R&B<ref name="whitburnr&b">{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=1996 |publisher=Record Research |page=31}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"|1948 | style="text-align:left;"| "Sad and Disappointed Jill" b/w "Bad Dream Blues" | - | - | align="left" rowspan="2"|Non-album tracks |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Indian Giver" b/w "Too Tight Mama" | - | - |- |colspan="5"|The above two records as shown as by Mabel Smith |- | rowspan="4"| 1953 | style="text-align:left;"| "Gabbin' Blues" b/w "Rain Down Rain" | - | 3 | align="left" rowspan="2"|''"Gabbin' Blues" and Other Big Hits'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Way Back Home" b/w "Just Want Your Love" | - | 10 |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Send for Me" b/w "Jinny Mule" (from ''"Gabbin' Blues" and Other Big Hits'') | - | - | align="left"|Non-album track |- | style="text-align:left;"| "My Country Man" b/w "Maybelle's Blues" | - | 5 | align="left" rowspan="4"|''"Gabbin' Blues" and Other Big Hits'' |- | rowspan="2"|1954 | style="text-align:left;"| "You'll Never Know" b/w "I've Got a Feelin'" | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "I'm Getting 'Long Alright" b/w "My Big Mistake" | - | - |- | rowspan="2"|1955 | style="text-align:left;"| "Don't Leave Poor Me" b/w "Ain't No Use" (Non-album track) | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" b/w "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" (from ''"Gabbin' Blues" and Other Big Hits'') | - | - | align="left" rowspan="2"|Non-album tracks |- | rowspan="4"|1956 | style="text-align:left;"| "Such a Cutie" b/w "The Other Night" | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Candy" b/w "That's a Pretty Good Love" | - | 11 | align="left" rowspan="2"|''Blues, Candy & Big Maybelle'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Mean to Me" b/w "Tell Me Who" | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "New Kind of Mambo" b/w "Gabbin' Blues" (from ''"Gabbin' Blues" and Other Big Hits'') | - | - | align="left"|Non-album tracks |- | rowspan="4"|1957 | style="text-align:left;"| "I Don't Want to Cry" b/w "All of Me" | - | - | align="left" rowspan="2"|''Big Maybelle Sings'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Rock House" b/w "Jim" | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Silent Night" b/w "White Christmas" | - | - | align="left"|Non-album tracks |- | style="text-align:left;"| "So Long" b/w "Ring Dang Dilly" | - | - | align="left" rowspan="2"|''Blues, Candy & Big Maybelle'' |- | 1958 | style="text-align:left;"| "Blues, Early Blues"—Part 1 b/w Part 2 | - | - |- | rowspan="3"|1959 | style="text-align:left;"| "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" b/w "Say It Isn't So" | - | - | align="left"|''Big Maybelle Sings'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" b/w "Pitiful" (from ''Blues, Candy & Big Maybelle'') | - | - | align="left" rowspan="4"|Non-album tracks |- | style="text-align:left;"| "I Understand" b/w "Some of These Days" | - | - |- | 1960 | style="text-align:left;"| "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" b/w "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" | - | - |- | 1961 | style="text-align:left;"| "Going Home Baby" b/w "I Ain't Got Nobody" | - | - |- | 1962 | style="text-align:left;"| "Candy" b/w "Cry" | - | - | align="left"|''What More Can a Woman Do'' |- | rowspan="2"|1963 | style="text-align:left;"| "Cold Cold Heart" b/w "Why Was I Born" (from ''What More Can a Woman Do'') | - | - | align="left"|''The Last of Big Maybelle'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "How Deep Is the Ocean" b/w "Everybody's Got a Home But Me" | - | - | align="left"|''What More Can a Woman Do'' |- | rowspan="3"|1964 | style="text-align:left;"| "Oh Lord, What Are You Doing to Me" b/w "Same Old Story" | - | - | align="left"|''The Soul of Big Maybelle'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "My Mother's Eyes" b/w "Careless Love" | - | - | align="left"|''Saga of the Good Life & Hard Times'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "I Don't Want to Cry" b/w "Yesterday's Kisses" | - | - | align="left" rowspan="4"|Non-album tracks |- || 1965 | style="text-align:left;"| "Let Me Go" b/w "No Better for You" (from ''The Last of Big Maybelle'') | - | - |- | rowspan="2"|1966 | style="text-align:left;"| "It's a Man's Man's World" b/w "Maybelle Sings the Blues" (from ''Saga of the Good Life and Hard Times'') | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Don't Pass Me By" b/w "It's Been Raining" (from ''Saga of the Good Life & Hard Times'') | - | 27 |- | rowspan="3"|1967 | style="text-align:left;"| "96 Tears" b/w "That's Life" | 96 | 23 | align="left" rowspan="2"|''Got a Brand New Bag'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Turn the World Around the Other Way" b/w "I Can't Wait Any Longer" (Non-album track) | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean)" b/w "Keep That Man" | - | - | align="left" rowspan="3"|Non-album tracks |- | rowspan="3"|1968 | style="text-align:left;"| "Quittin' Time" b/w "I Can't Wait Any Longer" | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Heaven Will Welcome You, Dr. King" b/w "Eleanor Rigby" (from ''Got a Brand New Bag'') | - | - |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Do Lord" b/w "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" | - | - | align="left"|''The Gospel Soul of Big Maybelle'' |- | 1969 | style="text-align:left;"| "Old Love Never Dies" b/w "How It Lies" | - | - | align="left"|''Saga of the Good Life & Hard Times'' |- | 1973 | style="text-align:left;"| "Blame It on Your Love" b/w "See See Rider" | - | - | align="left"|''The Last of Big Maybelle'' |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100405204632/http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/Maybelle.html More information] * {{Find a Grave|6815424}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Maybelle}} Category:1924 births Category:1972 deaths Category:American blues singers Category:Savoy Records artists Category:20th-century African-American women singers Category:People from Jackson, Tennessee Category:Chess Records artists Category:King Records artists Category:Okeh Records artists Category:Muse Records artists Category:Deaths from diabetes in the United States Category:New York blues musicians Category:Jump blues musicians Category:East Coast blues musicians Category:20th-century American singers Category:20th-century American women singers Category:International Sweethearts of Rhythm members