MUSICIAN

Ma Rainey

1886 - 1939

Photo of Ma Rainey

Icon of person Ma Rainey

Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (née Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early-blues recording artist. Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of southern blues, influencing a generation of blues singers. Rainey was known for her powerful vocal abilities, energetic disposition, majestic phrasing, and a "moaning" style of singing. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Ma Rainey has received more than 4,002,908 page views. Her biography is available in 32 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 30 in 2019). Ma Rainey is the 662nd most popular musician (down from 585th in 2019), the 3,387th most popular biography from United States (down from 3,051st in 2019) and the 202nd most popular American Musician.

Memorability Metrics

  • 4.0M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 60.23

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 32

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 2.85

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.17

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among MUSICIANS

Among musicians, Ma Rainey ranks 662 out of 3,175. Before her are Dick Dale, Michael Stipe, Alec John Such, Ric Ocasek, Mark Evans, and Vasco Rossi. After her are Nicolas de Grigny, Giovanni Maria Bononcini, Roger Hodgson, Mick Mars, Jeff Hanneman, and Nikolai Zverev.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1886, Ma Rainey ranks 120. Before her are Yehuda Ashlag, Firmin Lambot, André Marty, Georgios Tsolakoglou, Kurt Schmitt, and Olga Rozanova. After her are Otto von Knobelsdorff, Fred Quimby, Fernand Crommelynck, Alexander Miasnikian, Victor Boin, and Itzhak Katzenelson. Among people deceased in 1939, Ma Rainey ranks 72. Before her are Louis Trousselier, Konstantin Somov, Masabumi Hosono, Johann Strauss III, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, and Max Skladanowsky. After her are Stjepan Sarkotić, Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz, Francisco León de la Barra, Charles Tournemire, Patriarch Miron of Romania, and Hedwiga Rosenbaumová.

Others Born in 1886

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Others Deceased in 1939

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Ma Rainey ranks 3,387 out of 20,380. Before her are Josh Hartnett (1978), Mariska Hargitay (1964), Matthew Fox (1966), Evel Knievel (1938), Douglas Tompkins (1943), and Chris Tucker (1971). After her are George Pullman (1831), Tom Hulce (1953), Philip Kaufman (1936), Edwin Catmull (1945), Harlan Ellison (1934), and Alex Haley (1921).

Others born in United States

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Among MUSICIANS In United States

Among musicians born in United States, Ma Rainey ranks 202. Before her are Marcus Miller (1959), Kenny G (1956), Dick Dale (1937), Michael Stipe (1960), Alec John Such (1951), and Ric Ocasek (1949). After her are Mick Mars (1951), Jeff Hanneman (1964), Chaka Khan (1953), Benny Golson (1929), Eddie Vedder (1964), and Vinnie Vincent (1952).

American born Musicians

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