Ma Rainey was the first real blues singer to record and her performances done in the early twenties distinguish her from the other early female blues vocalists in that she had the real rural sound born of exposure to great traditional styles rather than the watered down Tin Pan Alley and vaudeville constructs of her competitors. She was extremely popular in the early twenties both in live performances and record sales. Presented here are her finest and most popular performances. One hundred years later she is still recognized as one of the great figures in blues history.