Big Maybelle

Mabel Louise Smith, known professionally as Big Maybelle, was born on 1 May 1924 in Jackson, Tennessee, and emerged as a notable American R&B singer and pianist. After singing in the Church of God in Christ choir and winning a competition at the Memphis Cotton Carnival at age nine, she began a professional career in 1936, recording her first single "Hurry, Hurry" with Christine Chatman’s orchestra in 1944. She signed with King Records in 1947, releasing three singles, and joined Tiny Bradshaw’s orchestra until 1950. Her breakthrough came with Okeh Records, where "Gabbin' Blues" (8 October 1952) reached Number 3 on the R&B charts, followed by two additional Top 10 hits; she also recorded the original version of "Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On" during this period. In 1956 she moved to Savoy Records, issuing "Candy" (Number 11 on the R&B list) and other singles, though subsequent label changes to Brunswick, Scepter, and Rojac yielded limited commercial impact. She appeared in the 1958 documentary Jazz on a Summer's Day and continued to record sporadically until the late 1960s, when she released "Don't Pass Me By" (1966). Big Maybelle died on 23 January 1972 in Cleveland, Ohio, after a diabetic coma; her legacy was honored with induction into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011.

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