Clara Smith 1894 – 1935

Biography

Clara Smith was born on August 23, 1894, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, during a transformative era for American music. She would become known as a classic blues singer, a genre that was gaining prominence in the early twentieth century. Her voice and artistry contributed to the rich musical landscape of her time, as blues emerged as a distinctly American art form that would influence generations of musicians to come.

Throughout her career, Clara Smith worked as a professional entertainer, dedicating herself to the blues tradition. She performed during the classic blues period, when the genre was reaching new audiences across the United States. Her work as a blues singer placed her among the notable performers of this pivotal era in American music history.

Clara Smith passed away on February 2, 1935, in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of forty. She was laid to rest at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Clinton Township, where her memory continues to be honored. Though her life was relatively brief, her contributions to blues music remain part of the cultural heritage of the American musical tradition.