RUBY SMITH

                   RUBY WALKER, así es como se dió a conocer esta cantante , sobrina de Bessie Smith, no adoptaría su nombre artístico hasta después de morir ésta, por lo visto la relación  fué bastante tempestuosa por la fuerte oposición de Bessie a que su sobrina se dedicase a la canción.
A pesar de ello , y ante la insitencia de Ruby, Smith accedería a llevársela de gira en diferentes ocasiones haciendo que se ocupara de su vestuario. Nos gusta el estilo que podemos oir en este video así como los músicos que le acompañan, a pesar de que el sonido no es el deseado . 

                             

Composed by Neil Lawrence

Ruby Walker (Ruby Smith):Vocals

Gene (Honeybear) Sedric and his Orchestra:

Gene Sedric:Tenor Sax

Lincoln Mills:Trumpet

Freddy Jefferson:Piano

Danny Settles:Bass

Slick Jones:Drums

Recorded in New York City, N.Y. August, 1946

Originally issued on and both of these recordings taken from the 1946 single (Harmonia 1805) (78 RPM)

Ruby Smith (August 24, 1903 – March 24, 1977) was an American classic female blues singer. She was a niece, by marriage, of the better known Bessie Smith, who discouraged Ruby from a recording career. Nevertheless, following Bessie's death in 1937, Ruby went on to record twenty-one sides between 1938 and 1947. She is also known for her recorded explicit, and candid observations, on her own and Bessie's lifestyle.

Biography

She was born Ruby Walker in New York, United States.

She met Bessie Smith in Philadelphia, and after her aunt (by marriage) made her debut recording in February 1923, Ruby joined her on tour in 1924. Ruby assisted off-stage with costume changes, and provided entertainment in the intermissions with her dancing. Although Ruby's thoughts of a career as a singer were initially thwarted in 1926 by Bessie's insistence, Ruby continued to travel with Bessie on tour. In Atlanta, Georgia, Ruby spent a night in the cells after being discovered bringing moonshine for her aunt to consume. In 1927, Ruby was part of the female entourage led by Bessie to the 'buffet flats' in Detroit, Michigan. Her lengthy recorded interview given to Chris Albertson, contained references to this time and others, and the recording became part of Bessie Smith's The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5: The Final Chapter box set.Of a particularly "open house" sex show, Smith said, "People used to pay good just to go in there and see him do his act."

Later Jack Gee, Bessie's then husband, once implored Ruby to take the musical stage, after her aunt had walked out in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, the deception did not last long, and in the event Bessie died tragically in 1937. Shortly afterwards, she adopted the stage name of Ruby Smith, and less than a year later recorded six tracks including acover version of Bessie's "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair Blues." At the same session she waxed her version of the Alex Hill penned, "Draggin' My Heart Around."

In March 1939, Smith under the musical direction of James P. Johnson, recorded "He's Mine, All Mine," and the Bessie Smith co-composition with Johnson, "Backwater Blues". In December 1941, and backed by an ensemble led by Sammy Price, she recorded two more tracks, "Why Don't You Love Me Anymore?" and her own song, "Harlem Gin Blues". Her final recording sessions took place in August 1946 and in January the following year, when she was backed by Gene Sedric's band.

Smith died on March 24, 1977, in Anaheim, California, at the age of 73.

Her recorded work has been made available on several compilation albums, including Jazzin' the Blues (1943-1952), released by Document Records in 2000