Thomas Pridgett

From Persephone Magazine

Born somewhere between 1882 and 1886, one of several children born to an extremely poor family in Columbus, Georgia, “Ma” Rainey was groomed from a very early age to sing and perform for her dinner. Just like her Mother and Grandmother before her, Rainey was an experienced performer by the time she was a pre-teen. At just 12 years old, she had already started singing at minstrel shows and appearing in Vaudeville acts, which were popular at the time. Her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, was a well known river port that often had many musical acts, and the Pridgett family were one of the families that earned a living performing in the area.

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• "Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey" By Sandra R. Lieb.