In 1920, Mamie Smith became the FIRST Black American to record a Blues song. "Crazy Blues” ushered in a new era of "race records.” Previously, white singers copied Black vocal styles in blues recordings, while Black entertainers like Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters, & Bessie Smith were confined to the "Chitlin Circuit." Mamie Smith’s success paved the way for black blues & jazz musicians to thrive.
