Bertha Lee Pate
Bertha Lee Pate | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1902 Flora, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 1975 (aged 72–73) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Bertha Lee Pate, also known as Bertha Lee Jones and, more commonly, just as Bertha Lee (1902 – May 10, 1975)[1] was an American classic female blues singer, active in the 1920s and 1930s. She recorded with, and was the common-law wife of Charley Patton.[2][3]
Biography
When she was five years old, Lee's family moved to Lula, Mississippi.[4] Lee met Patton in 1930 and remained his partner until his death in 1934.[5] During this time, she sang on twelve of Patton's recordings, which resulted in the recording of three of her own songs, "Yellow Bee", "Dog Train Blues", and "Mind Reader Blues".[6] Patton accompanied her on guitar on these records.[2]
In 1933, the couple settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi. Her relationship with Patton was a turbulent one. In early 1934, both of them were incarcerated in a Belzoni, Mississippi jailhouse after a particularly harsh fight.[7] W. R. Calaway from Vocalion Records bailed the pair out of jail, and escorted them to New York City, for what would be Patton's final sessions (on January 30 and February 1).[8] They later returned to Holly Ridge and Lee saw Patton out in his final days, as he died, according to his death certificate, of a mitral valve disorder on April 28, 1934.[8][7]
Little else is known of Lee, and her recordings with Patton are the only documents of her voice. The album, Masters of the Delta Blues : The Friends of Charlie Patton contains some of her work.[9]
She died in 1975 in Chicago, Illinois.
References
- ^ Gayle Dean Wardlow, Stephen Calt and Edward Komara, King of the Delta Blues. The Life and Music of Charlie Patton, 2nd ed., University of Tenneessee Press, 2022. See p.293f. where the authors state: "Lula was where lived [Patton's] latest common-law wife, a twenty-eight year old woman named Bertha Lee Jones (born Pate). (...) "Bert" Jones was originally from Flora, Mississippi. In 1907, at age five, she moved with her family to Lula ..." - As the authors give no exact birthdate, it seems they were unable to find a birth certificate for her.
- ^ a b "Biography by Joslyn Layne". AllMusic. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
- ^ Bernard Klatzko spoke with Bertha Lee in Chicago in 1964. Some excerpts from his interview can be found in liner notes he wrote for a 1966 re-issue double LP of "sanctified & country gospel music" (see p.8-9) Bernard Klatzko, In the Spirit No.1 and No.2.
- ^ Bernard Klatzko, In the Spirit No.1 and No.2. Her birthplace and age when the family moved to Lula is to be found on p.9
- ^ Robert Palmer (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
- ^ "Charley Patton's Yellow Bee/Bertha Lee". 2006.
- ^ a b Robert Palmer (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 86–7. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
- ^ a b Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 43. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 211. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.