Daisy Martin facts for kids
Daisy Martin (born around 1914 – died around 1925) was an American actress and a blues singer. She was known for her "classic female blues" style.
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Early Career and Performances
Daisy Martin traveled across the eastern and central United States. She performed in black vaudeville shows during the 1910s and early 1920s. In 1914, she appeared in a show called My Friend from Kentucky. This show was at the National Theater in Chicago, Illinois. Later, in 1917, she performed in the musical comedy My People. Other performers in this show included Sam Gray and Julia Moody. By 1920, she was back in Chicago, performing in the revue Hello 1919 at the Strand Theatre.
Recording Blues History
Daisy Martin was one of the first black women to record blues songs. She made her first recordings in April 1921. She recorded for two important labels: Gennett and Okeh. Her first songs were "Royal Garden Blues" and "Spread Yo' Stuff". A group called the Five Jazz Bell Hops played music for her. We don't know who these musicians were. Her last recording session was in July 1923. Overall, she recorded 16 songs.
Famous Blues Contest
On January 20, 1922, Daisy Martin took part in a blues singing contest. This exciting event happened at the Manhattan Casino in New York City. She competed against other famous singers like Lucille Hegamin, Alice Leslie Carter, and Trixie Smith. Trixie Smith ended up winning the contest. This competition was a big part of the Fifteenth Infantry's First Band Concert and Dance. Noble Sissle was the host for the evening. Even Fiorello La Guardia, who later became a famous mayor, was one of the judges.
Her Musical Style
A blues writer named Steve Tracy described Daisy Martin's singing in 1997. He said she had a soprano voice. He also noted a "stilted vibrato effect" in her singing. Not many of the musicians who played with her on her records are known. However, some musicians from one of her sessions included Gus Aiken, Jake Frazier, and Garvin Bushell.
Preserving Her Music
All of Daisy Martin's recordings were later put together on a CD. This CD was released by Document Records in 1997. It was part of a collection called Daisy Martin & Ozie McPherson: Complete Recorded Works 1921–1926 In Chronological Order. This helped new generations hear her important blues music.
