Bernice Edwards (c. 1907 – February 26, 1969)
was an American
classic female blues
Classic female blues was an early form of blues music, popular in the 1920s. An amalgam of traditional folk blues and urban theater music, the style is also known as vaudeville blues. Classic blues were performed by female singers accompanied by ...
singer, pianist and songwriter. She recorded a total of 21 tracks between 1926 and 1935.
Unusually for a female blues performer at the time, Edwards composed some of her songs. Details of her life outside the recording studio are sketchy.
Life and career
Edwards was probably born in
Katy, Texas
Katy is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Greater Katy area, itself forming the western part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Homes and businesses may have Katy postal addresses without being in the City of Katy. The city of ...
, and raised in
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
.
Although Edwards was not directly related to them, she grew up with a musical family, which included
Beulah Belle,
George
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
,
Hociel and
Hersal Thomas
Hersal Thomas (September 9, 1906 – June 2, 1926) was an American blues pianist and composer. He recorded a number of sides for Okeh Records in 1925 and 1926.
Thomas was born in Houston, Texas, United States, and displayed an early talent ...
. During her time with them she learned to play the piano.
In 1923, she relocated along with George and Hersal Thomas to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
.
Five years later, at two separate recording sessions in February and November 1928, Edwards recorded twelve songs for
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson.
Early years
Paramount Records was formed in 19 ...
, which included "Moaning Blues". This title may have led to her being sometimes billed as "Moanin' Bernice (Edwards)".
She accompanied herself while singing the mainly slow blues songs, which also included her version of "Long Tall Mama."
Her common theme was of the "lowlife" and mean men, typified by the aforementioned plus "Mean Man Blues" and "Hard Hustling Blues."
Some of her early recordings were released under the name Bernice Duke.
In 1935, Edwards returned to the recording studio, this time in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
for
American Record Corporation
American Record Corporation (ARC), also referred to as American Record Company, American Recording Corporation, or ARC Records, was an American record company.
Overview
ARC was created in January 1929 by Louis G. Sylvester, president of Scran ...
. Alongside
Black Boy Shine, she recorded piano duets including one entitled "Hot Mattress Stomp".
The recording included some guitar playing by
J. T. "Funny Papa" Smith. Her own piano playing had also gained in dynamics since her first visit to a recording studio.
Her self-penned track "Butcher Shop Blues" (1935), extended the analogy of meat for sexual innuendo, although her vocals on it appeared to be less strong and expressive. Following the Fort Worth session, Edwards apparently got married and joined the church, after which nothing much more is known of her life.
According to researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc, she died in
Hermann Hospital
Memorial Hermann Health System is the largest not-for-profit health system in southeast Texas and consists of 17 hospitals, 8 Cancer Centers, 3 Heart & Vascular Institutes, and 27 sports medicine and rehabilitation centers, in addition to other ...
in Houston in 1969, aged about 62.
Her work is included on various compilation albums.
See also
*
List of classic female blues singers
The following is a list of classic female blues singers.
A
* Mozelle Alderson
* Ora Alexander
B
* Mildred Bailey
* Blue Lu Barker
* Gladys Bentley
* Esther Bigeou
* Lucille Bogan
* Ada Brown
* Bessie Brown
* Eliza Brown
* Kitty Brown
...
Other sources
*Evans, David (1993). Liner notes, ''Texas Piano Vol. 1 (1923–1935)''.
Document Records
Document Records is an independent record label, founded in Austria and now based in Scotland, that specializes in reissuing vintage blues and jazz. The company has been recognised by The Blues Foundation, being honoured with a Keeping the ...
DOCD-5224.
*Larkin, Colin, ed. (1998). ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' (3rd ed.). New York: Muze. .
References
External links
Discogs.com entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Bernice
1900s births
1969 deaths
American blues singers
20th-century African-American women singers
Classic female blues singers
American blues pianists
Paramount Records artists
Vocalion Records artists
Songwriters from Texas
Singers from Texas
People from Katy, Texas
20th-century American women singers
20th-century American women pianists
20th-century American pianists
20th-century American singers
African-American songwriters
African-American pianists