Tells The Story Of Classic Blues Singers From Ma Rainey To Bessie Smith.blues On Stage Presents A New History Of The Development Of The Classic Blues Of The 1920s, Offering A Comprehensive Review Of Various Black Singers Who Recorded And Were Influential In This Era, Including Bessie Smith, Trixie Smith, Butterbeans And Susie, And Ma Rainey. The Business Of Music Recording And Publishing, Including Songwriting And Touring Theater Circuits, Is Explored As Part Of The Narrative Of How And When These Artists Became Nationally Popular. The Most Highly Regarded Singers Of This Period Were Not Folk Or Rural Artists, But Rather Highly Experienced Stage Professionals Whose Careers Often Extended Two Decades Or More Prior To Their First Recordings.