Singer. She received notoriety as an American Blues vocalist during the 20th century. Born the daughter of Frank and Alice Smith, she was raised singing in the church choir before winning an amateur singing contest at the age of eight then graduating to singing the Blues in her teens. Her debut recordings were done in 1947 under the name of Mabel Smith but later she was known as "Big Maybelle." She began touring at an early age in the 1940's and making recordings for the King Record label. She later performed with Blues singer, Jimmy Witherspoon, and recorded for the OKeh Record label from 1952 to 1954. She recorded under several record labels and three of her records reach the R&B Top Ten in 1953. "Big Maybelle" opened a concert for the jazz singer, Billie Holiday, who refused to perform after Big Maybelle opened, because she felt she had been "outperformed." During the 1960's, she made appearances at the Apollo Theater and at Carnegie Hall before her career declined during the decade. Her last hit single was "96 Tears," which was covered in 1966 as a one-hit-wonder for the group Question Mark and the Mysterians going to #1 on the American Billboard Chart. With a deep, beautiful gravelly voice, she was morbidly obese, suffered from drug addiction, and battled diabetes, which all led to her premature death. Her final album "Last of Big Maybelle" was released in 1973 posthumously. Her hit single, "Candy," received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999; the recording had reached #15 on the pop chart in 1956.
Singer. She received notoriety as an American Blues vocalist during the 20th century. Born the daughter of Frank and Alice Smith, she was raised singing in the church choir before winning an amateur singing contest at the age of eight then graduating to singing the Blues in her teens. Her debut recordings were done in 1947 under the name of Mabel Smith but later she was known as "Big Maybelle." She began touring at an early age in the 1940's and making recordings for the King Record label. She later performed with Blues singer, Jimmy Witherspoon, and recorded for the OKeh Record label from 1952 to 1954. She recorded under several record labels and three of her records reach the R&B Top Ten in 1953. "Big Maybelle" opened a concert for the jazz singer, Billie Holiday, who refused to perform after Big Maybelle opened, because she felt she had been "outperformed." During the 1960's, she made appearances at the Apollo Theater and at Carnegie Hall before her career declined during the decade. Her last hit single was "96 Tears," which was covered in 1966 as a one-hit-wonder for the group Question Mark and the Mysterians going to #1 on the American Billboard Chart. With a deep, beautiful gravelly voice, she was morbidly obese, suffered from drug addiction, and battled diabetes, which all led to her premature death. Her final album "Last of Big Maybelle" was released in 1973 posthumously. Her hit single, "Candy," received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999; the recording had reached #15 on the pop chart in 1956.
Bio by: Midnight Believer
Inscription
In Loving Memory of
Big Maybelle Smith
May 1, 1925
Jan. 24, 1972
"Candy"
Your Spirit is Forever With Us
O–32–34
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