On December 22, 1939, the "Mother of the Blues" Ma Rainey passed away at the age of 53. Born Gertrude Pridgett in 1886 in Columbus, Georgia, Ma Rainey (as she is famously known) was a singer, songwriter, and vaudeville performer. It is said that she was taught her first blues song from her mother at the age of 14. Ma Rainey began her career in 1904, performing with an early version of the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and went on to make her first recordings for Paramount Records in 1923. One of the first people to claim the title "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey's career lasted until 1935, during which time she wrote and performed over 100 songs, notably including "See See Rider," "Jelly Bean Blues," and "Backwater Blues." Ma Rainey left an indelible legacy on American music and is remembered by her fans as one of the earliest and most influential blues singers of all time. She will be sorely missed.