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Sippie Wallace

Sippie Wallace (born Beulah Belle Thomas, November 1, 1898 – November 1, 1986) was an American blues singer, pianist and songwriter. Her early career in tent shows gained her the billing "The Texas Nightingale". Between 1923 and 1927, she recorded over 40 songs for Okeh Records, many written by her or her brothers, George and Hersal Thomas. Her accompanists included Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, Sidney Bechet, King Oliver, and Clarence Williams. Among the top female blues vocalists of her era, Wallace ranked with Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, and Bessie Smith.

In the 1930s, she left show business to become a church organist, singer, and choir director in Detroit and performed secular music only sporadically until the 1960s, when she resumed her performing career. Wallace was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1982 and was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 1993.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 1, 1898 (Houston), Died November 1, 1986 (Detroit)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, songwriter, lyricist, piano

Notes: Born Beulah Belle Thomas.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 47 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-48865 10-in. 2/6/1929 Go down sunshine blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with guitar, trombone, and piano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BVE-48866 10-in. 2/6/1929 You gonna need my help Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with guitar, trombone, and piano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BVE-48870 10-in. 2/7/1929 I'm a mighty tight woman Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BVE-48871 10-in. 2/7/1929 Ain't nobody home but me Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
OKeh 8490 10-in. October 1923 Up the country blues Eddie Heywood ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh 8491 10-in. October 1923 Shorty George blues Eddie Heywood ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
OKeh 8964 10-in. Feb. 1925 Morning dove blues Joe Oliver ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist  
OKeh 8965 10-in. Feb. 1925 Devil dance blues Joe Oliver ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist, composer  
OKeh 8966 10-in. Feb. 1925 Every dog has his day Joe Oliver ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist, composer  
OKeh 9546 10-in. 3/1/1926 A jealous woman like me Louis Armstrong ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with trumpet and piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh 9547 10-in. 3/1/1926 Special delivery blues Louis Armstrong ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with trumpet and piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh 9548 10-in. 3/1/1926 Jack of diamonds blues Louis Armstrong ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with trumpet and piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh 9559 10-in. 3/3/1926 The mail train blues Louis Armstrong ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist  
OKeh 9560 10-in. 3/3/1926 I feel good Louis Armstrong ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist  
OKeh 9561 10-in. 3/3/1926 A man for every day in the week Louis Armstrong ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with trumpet and piano vocalist  
OKeh 9929 10-in. 11/20/1926 I'm a mighty tight woman Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh 9930 10-in. 11/20/1926 Bedroom blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano vocalist  
OKeh S-72567 10-in. May 1924 Mama's gone, goodbye Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
OKeh S-72568 10-in. May 1924 Caldonia blues Sippie Wallace ; Clarence Williams Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist  
OKeh S-72569 10-in. May 1924 Underworld blues Sippie Wallace ; Clarence Williams Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist  
OKeh S-72570 10-in. May 1924 Leaving me, daddy, is hard to do Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
OKeh S-72579 10-in. May 1924 Can anybody take sweet mama's place? Sippie Wallace ; Clarence Williams Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh S-72580 10-in. May 1924 Stranger's blues Sippie Wallace ; Clarence Williams Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh S-72606 10-in. June 1924 Sud bustin' blues Clarence Williams’ Harmonizers ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
OKeh S-72607 10-in. June 1924 Wicked Monday morning blues Clarence Williams’ Harmonizers ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 47 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wallace, Sippie," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106281.

Wallace, Sippie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106281.

"Wallace, Sippie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106281

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