Mamie Smith

Film career and later years Smith appeared in the early sound film Jailhouse Blues in 1929. She retired from recording and performing in 1931. She returned to performing in 1939 to appear in the movie Paradise in Harlem, produced by her husband, Jack Goldberg.

Death and memorial Smith died in 1946 in Manhattan, New York City, reportedly penniless. She was interred at Frederick Douglass Memorial Park on Staten Island, on ground which remained unmarked until 2013 when a monument was finally erected.

Initially, according to the Jas Obrecht Music Archive website, Smith was buried in an unmarked grave until 1963 when musicians from Iserlohn, West Germany used the money from a Hot Jazz benefit to buy a headstone that read "Mamie Smith (1883–1946): First Lady of the Blues". With the help of fellow blues singer Victoria Spivey and Record Research Magazine publisher Len Kunstadt, Smith was re-interred at Frederick Douglass Memorial Park in Richmond, New York. Smith's re-interment was celebrated with a gala honoring the late singer on January 27, 1964.

Discography Originally released in 1989 in five LP with different titles than reissued in 4 CD

1920-21 - Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol. 1 (Document Recs, 1995) 1921-22 - Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol. 2 (Document Recs, 1995) 1922-23 - Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol. 3 (Document Recs, 1995) 1923-42 - Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol. 4 (Document Recs, 1995)

Hit records

YearSingleUSChart1920"Crazy Blues"3 1921"Fare Thee Honey Blues"9"Royal Garden Blues"13"You Can't Keep a Good Man Down"4"Dangerous Blues"61922"Lonesome Mama Blues"61923"You Can Have Him, I Don't Want Him Blues"13"You've Got to See Mama Ev'ry Night (or You Can't See Mama at All)"13