Clara Smith
1895 - February 3, 1935
Birthplace: Spartanburg, South Carolina. Called Queen of the
Moaners and the World's Greatest Moaner, vaudeville- blues vocalist Clara
Smith possessed a voice that nearly rivaled Bessie Smith's
(no relation). Smith began recording for Columbia in 1923; her first
records were dragged-out, gloomy accounts of lost love and betrayal.
Frequently backed by Fletcher Henderson on piano, Smith plodded her way
through songs such as "Every Woman's Blues" and "Awful
Moaning Blues," in the process creating sad portraits of a suffering,
tragic heroine.
On later recordings in the 1920s, Smith refined her delivery somewhat so
that her melancholia did not always get in the way of the songs she sang.
Many of her best recordings were done from 1925 to 1928 and often included
risqué sexual references. In all, she recorded some 125 songs, almost all
of them for Columbia. Some of her records featured instrumental backing by
such prominent jazz artists as cornetist Louis Armstrong, saxophone player
Coleman Hawkins, clarinetist Don Redman, and pianist James P. Johnson.
Twice she recorded duets with Bessie Smith.
Little is known about Smith's early years, except that she worked the
Southern vaudeville stops and ultimately became a popular performer on the
TOBA (Theatre Owners' Booking Association) circuit. She moved to Harlem in
1923 and the following year opened up the Clara Smith Theatrical Club.
When not recording or performing in New York cabarets and theaters, Smith
frequently toured. Part of her popularity was due to her vocal
versatility. In addition to singing the blues, Smith also incorporated
vaudeville and pop numbers into her show, as well as comedy routines.
Smith's last recordings were in 1932, although she continued to perform
until suffering a fatal heart attack in Detroit in 1935. If you're
interested in the blues visit.
The
Blueflamecafe
One of my biggest private
moans is the fact that the former website I used to link to called the
Blueflamecafe which was an excellent site and so full of information on
all the blues artists going right back to the roots of blues music, just
disappeared from the net and was replaced by an adds for everything and
anything.
Victor Meldrew is probably the one man who put a real meaning to moaning.
And why not. Everybody enjoys a good moan now and then. What a sad world
it would be if we didn't get on our soapbox from time to time and let the
whole world know what we thought of it from the privacy of our own
homes.
I'm your author and host. If you have any pictures of real
moaners please send them to me as attached email and I will include them
with your caption. To send me your moaners accompanied by an appropriate
caption.
From: trying to get some work done
in Canada
Honest! I got this mailed to me from a dear, dear friend (names
deleted to protect the absurd):
"Brace yourselves! The nail on my index finger, left hand just ripped
so I
had to peel it off! I'm thinking of taking the week off to deal with
it."
I think it deserves at least an honourable mention in the Moaner's Hall
of Shame!
Comments: It's a painful experience at
times being a moaners author.
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Introducing the world's greatest moaners. Do you know of a
moaner who deserves a mention in the moaners hall of fame? You don't have to be
a blues singer or a famous person to be in the moaners hall of fame. You just
have to be a genuine moaner.
This is Anne Robinson the woman who perfected the art of
moaning, firstly as a 'Watchdog' presenter and now she's followed it up
with her new hit series 'The Weakest Link'. It all goes to prove that real
moaners do make a difference. The real moaners are the poor souls who have
to watch her being totally obnoxious to all her contestants on the Weakest
Link.
Imagine
anyone moaning about Furby. If you want to e-mail your Furby fan club just
click on Furby.
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