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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

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 vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BVE-48866 10-in. 2/6/1929 You gonna need my help Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with guitar, trombone, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BVE-48870 10-in. 2/7/1929 I'm a mighty tight woman Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BVE-48871 10-in. 2/7/1929 Ain't nobody home but me Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
OKeh 8490 10-in. October 1923 Up the country blues Eddie Heywood ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano songwriter, vocalist  
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  
OKeh S-73007 10-in. 11/28/1924 Baby, I can't use you no more Clarence Williams’ Blue Five ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh S-73008 10-in. 11/28/1924 Trouble everywhere I roam Clarence Williams’ Blue Five ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh S-73012 10-in. 12/1/1924 I've stopped my man Sippie Wallace ; Clarence Williams Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
OKeh S-73013 10-in. 12/1/1924 Walkin' talkin' blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
OKeh S-73014 10-in. 12/2/1924 I'm so glad I'm brownskin Clarence Williams’ Trio ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist  
OKeh S-73015 10-in. 12/2/1924 Off and on blues Clarence Williams’ Trio ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist  
OKeh S-73018 10-in. 12/3/1924 He's the cause of me being blue Clarence Williams’ Trio ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with banjo and piano vocalist, songwriter  
OKeh S-73019 10-in. 12/3/1924 Let my man alone blues Clarence Williams’ Trio ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with banjo and piano vocalist  
OKeh 73555 10-in. 8/19/1925 Section hand blues Perry Bradford’s Jazz Phools ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble vocalist  
OKeh 73556 10-in. 8/19/1925 Parlor social de luxe Perry Bradford’s Jazz Phools ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble vocalist  
OKeh 73557 10-in. 8/20/1925 Being down don't worry me Rudolph Jackson ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with saxophone and piano vocalist  
OKeh 73558 10-in. 8/20/1925 Advice blues Rudolph Jackson ; Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with saxophone and piano vocalist  
OKeh 73566 10-in. Aug. 1925 Murder gonna be my crime Hersal Thomas ; Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
OKeh 73567 10-in. Aug. 1925 The man I love Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer  
OKeh 73574 10-in. Aug. 1925 I am leaving you Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist  
OKeh 73575 10-in. Aug. 1925 I'm sorry for it now Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist  
OKeh 73576 10-in. Aug. 1925 Suitcase blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist  
OKeh 73577 10-in. Aug. 1925 I must have it Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist  
OKeh W80837 10-in. 5/6/1927 Dead drunk blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with clarinet, cornet, and piano vocalist  
OKeh W80838 10-in. 5/6/1927 Have you ever been down? Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with clarinet, cornet, and piano vocalist  
OKeh W80839 10-in. 5/6/1927 Lazy man blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with clarinet, cornet, and piano vocalist, lyricist  
OKeh W80840 10-in. 5/6/1927 The flood blues Sippie Wallace Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wallace, Sippie," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106281.

Wallace, Sippie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106281.

"Wallace, Sippie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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