This page contains Big Maybelle songs, albums and video links. Music profile for Big Maybelle with events, tracks, videos, pictures, lyrics and band information.
Big Maybelle (May 1 1924 — January 23 1972<ref name="amg"/>) was one of the premier Rhythm and blues|R&B chanson|chanteuses of the 1950s.<ref name="amg"/>
She was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame Award|Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, for her hit single "Candy (1944 song)|Candy".<ref>[http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Hall_Of_Fame/ Grammy Hall of Fame Database]</ref>
Biography
Born Mabel Louise Smith in Jackson, Tennessee|Jackson, Tennessee, Big Maybelle sang gospel as a child, and by her adolescence|teens had switched to rhythm and blues. She began her professional career with Dave Clark's Memphis Band in 1936, and also toured with the all female International Sweethearts of Rhythm. She then joined Christine Chatman's Orchestra as pianist, and made her first sound recording and reproduction|recordings with Chatman in 1944, and with the Tiny Bradshaw's Orchestra from 1947 to 1950.<ref>Santelli, Robert. ''The Big Book of Blues'', Penguin Books, page 40, (2001) - ISBN 0141001453</ref>
Her debut solo (music)|solo recordings, as Mabel Smith, came for King Records (USA)|King Records in 1947, backed by Oran "Hot Lips" Page, but she had little initial success. However, in 1952 she was signed by Okeh Records, whose record producer Fred Mendelsohn gave her the stage name Big Maybel... read all
