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Bertha Lee Pate

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Bertha Lee Pate
Background information
Born(1902-06-17)June 17, 1902
Lula, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMay 10, 1975(1975-05-10) (aged 72)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Bertha Lee Pate, known more commonly as Bertha Lee (June 17, 1902 – May 10, 1975)[1][better source needed] 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]

Biography

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When she was young, Lee's family moved to Lula, Mississippi. Lee met Patton in 1930 and remained his partner until his death in 1934.[3] 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".[4] 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.[5] 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).[6] 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.[6][5]

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.[7]

She died in 1975 in Chicago, Illinois.

References

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  1. ^ "Livin' at Lula". Msbluestrail.org. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Biography by Joslyn Layne". AllMusic. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  3. ^ Robert Palmer (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  4. ^ "Charley Patton's Yellow Bee/Bertha Lee". 2006.
  5. ^ a b Robert Palmer (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 86–7. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  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.
  7. ^ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 211. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.