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Little is known about Clara Smith’s (March 13, 1894 – February 2, 1935) early life other that that she was from Spartanburg, South Carolina. She worked in vaudeville in the late Teens and early 1920s and eventually became a popular performer on the TOBA circuit. In 1923 she moved to Harlem where she worked in cabarets and theaters and began recording exclusively for Columbia. Many critics consider her late 1920’s Blues recordings to be second only to Bessie Smith’s records in quality. She was billed as the Queen of the Moaners and the World’s Greatest Moaner and on her early records she was frequently accompanied by Fletcher Henderson on piano and on her later records featured bands that included first rate Jazz musicians like, James P. JohnsonLouis ArmstrongColeman Hawkins and Don Redman. She recorded three duets “Far Away Blues” and “I’m Going Back To My Used To Be” and “My Man Blues” with Bessie Smith. Bessie and Clara were not related, but they were close personal friends until Bessie got drunk one evening in 1925 and beat up Clara. An interesting bit of trivia was that Clara gave Josephine Baker her first taste of show business in 1920 when she gave the thirteen year old Baker a job as her dresser in her touring company. They also briefly became lovers. Clara Smith continued to record until 1932 and performed live until she died of a heart attack in Detroit in 1935.

sss band or session leader

Clara Smith and her Jazz TrioClara Smith and her Jazz Band
Clara Smith and her Five Black KittensClara Smith and her Novelty Band
Clara Smith and her Jazz Babies

TitleRecording DateRecording LocationCompany
Ain’t Got Nobody To Grind My Coffee
(Clarence Williams / Bud Allen)
8-9-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14368-D
Ain’t Nothin’ Cookin’ What You’re Smellin’
(Spencer Williams)
7-15-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14160-D
All Night Blues
(Richard M. Jones / Clarence Williams)
7-27-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3966
Awful Moaning Blues
Fletcher Henderson at the Piano

(Stanley S. Miller)
9-13-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A4000
Back Woods Blues
(George Brooks)
4-30-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14022-D
Black Woman’s Blues
(Smith)
6-1-1927New York, New YorkColumbia
14223-D
Broken Busted Blues
(Edgar Dowell)
1-7-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14062-D
Cheatin’ Daddy
(Porter Grainger)
11-29-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14192-D
Cold Weather Papa
(Bob Miller)
4-10-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14021-D
Courthouse Blues (1)
(Smith)
4-2-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14073-D
Courthouse Blues (2)
(Smith)
4-2-1925New York, New YorkKing Akwa
Daddy Don’t Put That Thing On Me Blues
(Clement)
1-26-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14398-D
Deep Blue Sea Blues
(Clara Smith)
8-19-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14034-D
Disappointed Blues
(Stanley S. Miller)
9-25-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14126-D
Don’t Advertise Your Man
(Jimmy Foster)
4-23-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14026-D
Don’t Fool Around On Me
(Porter Grainger)
7-21-1930New York, New YorkColumbia
14553-D
Don’t Never Tell Nobody
Fletcher Henderson at the Piano

(James P. Johnson)
10-1-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
13002-D
Don’t Wear It Out
(Hill)
10-31-1930New York, New YorkOkeh 8839
Down In The Mouf’ Blues
(Porter Grainger)
7-21-1930New York, New YorkColumbia
14553-D
Down South Blues
(Alberta Hunter / Fletcher Henderson)
7-27-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3961
Ease It
(James)
11-23-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14202-D
Empty House Blues
(Andy Razaf)
1-17-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14409-D
Every Woman’s Blues
Fletcher Henderson at the Piano

(Stanley S. Miller)
6-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3943
Far Away Blues
with Bessie Smith

(George Brooks)
10-4-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
13007-D
For Sale (Hannah Johnson’s Jack Ass)
(Henry Troy / Clarence Williams)
9-25-1931New York, New YorkColumbia
14633-D
Get On Board
(Lemuel Fowler)
11-23-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14183-D
Gin Mill Blues
(Lemuel Fowler)
5-21-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14419-D
Good Looking Papa Blues
(Clarence Williams)
1-29-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14026-D
Good Times (Come On Back Once More)
(Gray)
3-7-1931New York, New YorkColumbia
14592-D
Got My Mind On That Thing
(Bud Allen)
7-6-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14419-D
He’s Mine, All Mine
(Jimmy Foster)
12-16-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14053-D
How’m I Doin’
(Lemuel Fowler)
5-25-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14150-D
If You Only Knowed
(Porter Grainger)
1-8-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14058-D
I Got Everything A Woman Needs
(Stanley S. Miller)
6-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3943
I’m Going Back To My Used To Be
with Bessie Smith

(Jimmy Cox)
10-4-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
13007-D
(I’m Tired Of) Fattenin’ Frogs For Snakes
(Perry Bradford)
3-25-1932New York, New YorkColumbia
14653-D
I Never Miss My Sunshine
(I’m So Used To Rain)

Fletcher Henderson at the Piano

(Norman Jay Harvey)
9-7-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A4000
Irrestible Blues
Fletcher Henderson At The Piano

(George E. Jefferson)
8-31-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3991
It’s All Coming Home To You
(Porter Grainger)
5-10-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14319-D
It’s Tight Like That
(Thomas A. Dorsey / Hudson Whittaker)
1-26-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14398-D
It Takes The Lawd
(To Tell What’s On My Mind)

(Porter Grainger)
11-10-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14108-D
I Want My Sweet Daddy Now
(Donald Heywood)
8-31-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3991
Jelly Look What You Done Done
(Hurston)
5-10-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14319-D
Kansas City Man Blues
(Clarence Johnson / Clarence Williams)
10-2-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
12-D
Kind Lovin Blues
(Waters / Mitchell / Fletcher Henderson)
7-27-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3961
Kitchen Mechanic Blues
(Stanley Miller)
8-20-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14097-D
Let’s Get Loose
(Gray)
12-31-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14497-D
Livin’ Humble11-23-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14183-D
Low Land Moan9-9-1930New York, New YorkColumbia
14580-D
Mama’s Gone, Good Bye
(Peter Bocage / A.J. Piron)
9-20-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14039-D
Mean Papa Turn In Your Key
(Bob Miller)
4-17-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14022-D
My Brand-New Papa
(Roth / Roth)
5-26-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14143-D
My Good-For-Nuthin’ Man
(Spencer Williams)
3-24-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14069-D
My John Blues
(Edgar Dowell)
4-2-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14077-D
My Man Blues
with Bessie Smith

(Bessie Smith)
9-1-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14098-D
My Two Timing Papa
(Stanley Miller)
8-20-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14097-D
Nobody Knows The Way I Feel ‘Dis Morning
(Tom Delaney)
1-7-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14058-D
Oh! Mister Mitchell
(Spencer Williams)
9-12-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14536-D
Ol’ Sam Tages
(Burns)
8-4-1931New York, New YorkColumbia
14619-D
Papa I Don’t Need You Now
(Louis)
9-4-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14462-D
Percolatin’ Blues
(Lemuel Fowler)
11-23-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14202-D
Pictures On The Wall
(Clara Smith / Fred Longshaw)
1-18-1932New York, New YorkColumbia
14645-D
Play It
(W. Benton Overstreet)
7-27-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
A3966
Salty Dog
(Papa Charlie Jackson)
5-26-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14143-D
San Francisco Blues
(Thomas “Baby” Grice)
10-7-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14049-D
Separation Blues
(Roth)
7-15-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14160-D
Shipwrecked Blues (1)
(Spencer Williams)
4-2-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14077-D
Sobbin’ Sister Blues
(Wallace)
5-23-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14344-D
So Long Jim
(Fred Longshaw / Clara Smith)
3-25-1932New York, New YorkColumbia
14653-D
Steamboat Man Blues
(Wallace)
5-23-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14344-D
Steel Drivin’ Sam
(Billy Gray)
12-16-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14053-D
Street Department Papa
(Bob Miller)
1-18-1932New York, New YorkColumbia
14645-D
Tell Me When
(Williams)
1-17-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14409-D
Texas Moaner Blues
(Clarence Williams)
8-19-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14034-D
That’s Why The Undertakers Are Busy Today
(Gray)
6-1-1927New York, New YorkColumbia
14223-D
The Basement Blues
(W.C. Handy)
9-20-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14039-D
The Clearing House Blues
(Sadie Honesty / Harry Webb)
4-17-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14019-D
The L & N Blues
(P. Henri)
3-27-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14073-D
The Market Street Blues
(Charlie Creath)
11-10-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14108-D
Tired Of The Way You Do
(Jones)
9-4-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14462-D
Uncle Sam Blues
(Clarence Williams)
10-2-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
12-D
Unemployed Papa – Charity Working Mama
(Andy Razaf / Asbestos Jones)
8-4-1931New York, New YorkColumbia
14619-D
Waitin’ For The Evenin’ Mail
Fletcher Henderson at the Piano

(Billy Baskette)
10-1-1923New York, New YorkColumbia
13002-D
Wanna Go Home
(Stanley Miller)
7-13-1928New York, New YorkColumbia
14368-D
War Horse Mama
(Bob Miller)
4-10-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14021-D
West Indies Blues
(Clarence Williams / Edgar Dowell / Spencer Williams)
4-17-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14019-D
What Makes You Act Like That?
(Hill)
10-31-1930New York, New YorkColumbia
14568-D
When I Steps Out
(Lemuel Fowler)
3-27-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14069-D
Where Is My Man?
(Spencer Williams)
9-12-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14536-D
Whip It To A Jelly
(Richard)
5-25-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14150-D
Woman To Woman9-9-1930New York, New YorkColumbia
14580-D
You Better Keep The Home Fires Burning (Cause Your Mamma’s Getting Cold)
(Wenrich / Leslie / Kinney)
1-8-1925New York, New YorkColumbia
14062-D
You Can’t Get It Now
(Potters)
4-7-1927New York, New YorkColumbia
14256-D
You Can’t Stay Here No More
(Cole)
12-31-1929New York, New YorkColumbia
14497-D
You Dirty Dog
(Clarence Williams)
9-25-1931New York, New YorkColumbia
14633-D
You Don’t Know Who’s Shakin’ Your Tree
(Stanley Miller)
12-30-1926New York, New YorkColumbia
14192-D
You Don’t Know My Mind
(Samuel Gray / Virginia Liston / Clarence Williams)
1-29-1924New York, New YorkColumbia
14013-D
You Had Too Much
(Alex Hill)
10-31-1930New York, New YorkOkeh 8839
You’re Getting Old On Your Job
(Hill)
10-31-1930New York, New YorkColumbia
14568-D

 

accompanied by

ArtistInstrument
Leon AbbeyViolin
Louis ArmstrongCornet
Buster BaileyClarinet
Elmer ChambersCornet
Ernest ElliotClarinet
Charlie DixonBanjo
Porter GraingerPiano, Kazoo
Charlie GreenTrombone
Fletcher HendersonPiano
James P. JohnsonPiano
Lonnie JohnsonGuitar
Herbert LeonardHarp
Kaiser MarshallDrums
Charles A. MatsonPiano
Stanley MillerPiano, Speech
Cecil ScottClarinet
Don RedmanClarinet, Altosaxophone
Bessie SmithVocals
Clarence WilliamsPiano

 

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