Staging the Blues: From Tent Shows to Tourism

Singing was just one element of blues performance in the early twentieth century. Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and other classic blues singers also tapped, joked, and flaunted extravagant costumes on tent show and black vaudeville stages. Even though folklorists, record producers, and festival promoters downplayed the theatricality of early blues in favor of notions of authenticity, virtuoso blues artists used dance, comedy, costume, and other theatrical conventions to great effect throughout the twentieth century. Read More

Singing was just one element of blues performance in the early twentieth century. Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and other classic blues singers also tapped, joked, and flaunted extravagant costumes on tent show and black vaudeville stages. Even though folklorists, record producers, and festival promoters downplayed the theatricality of early blues in favor of notions of authenticity, virtuoso blues artists used dance, comedy, costume, and other theatrical conventions to great effect throughout the twentieth century. Read Less

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  	This is a digital edition of this title. Buy eBook Lifetime Access: $28.95 Title: Staging the Blues by Paige A. McGinley Publisher: Duke University Press Print ISBN: 9780822357452, 0822357453 eText ISBN: 9780822376316 Edition: 2014 Format: EPUB eBook	$28.95 Buy eBook This is a digital eBook Nothing will be shipped to you Works with web browsers and the VitalSource app on all Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Kindle Fire, iOS, and Android devices Most eBooks are returnable within 14 days of purchase Questions? See our eBook FAQ