Ida Goodson

Ida Goodson
Background information
Born (1909-11-23)November 23, 1909
Pensacola, Florida, United States
Died January 5, 2000(2000-01-05) (aged 90)
Pensacola, Florida, United States
Genres Classic female blues, jazz[1]
Occupation(s) Singer, pianist
Instruments Vocals, piano
Years active 1920s2000
Associated acts Billie Pierce

Ida Goodson (November 23, 1909 January 5, 2000)[2] was an American classic female blues and jazz singer plus pianist.

Biography

Goodson was born in Pensacola, Florida, the youngest of seven sisters, six of whom survived to adulthood. Her father and mother both played piano.[2] Her father was deacon at Pensacola's Mount Olive Baptist Church.[1]

All of the daughters received tuition in music, with the sole intention of them performing in church.[1] Indeed, Goodson noted that the blues were banned in her house.[3] However, Ida, Mabel, Della, Sadie, Edna, and Wilhemina (more commonly known as Billie Pierce), all subsequently had careers in either blues or jazz.[4] The Preservation Hall Jazz Band often had one of the Goodson sisters playing keyboards. Goodson herself played the piano for accompaniment to silent films and at dances.[1]

The Florida Folk Archive released a recording taken at the Florida Folk Festival in 1980, comprising a duet between Ida and Sadie Goodson. She received a Florida Folk Heritage Award in 1987.[2][4]

In 2002 a stage show, The Goodson Sisters: Pensacola's Greatest Gift to Jazz, focused on Ida, Wilhemia, and Sadie Goodson. The Wild Women Don't Have the Blues PBS video included rare footage of Bessie Smith and her one-time accompanist, Goodson. Music journalist Chris Heim stated in the Chicago Tribune; "Sprightly blues and gospel performer Ida Goodson - the scene stealer of the film - gives a stunning exhibition of the intimate connection between gospel and blues when she takes the song "Precious Lord" from a rich, slow gospel opening to a rollicking boogie-woogie conclusion."[5]

In her senior years, Goodson played organ at several churches in Pensacola.[1][4] An album was released by the Florida Folklife Program, Ida Goodson: Pensacola Piano—Florida Gulf Blues, Jazz, and Gospel.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Chadbourne, Eugene. "Ida Goodson". Allmusic. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 "Piney Flatwoods Girl: Ida Goodson: Florida Blueswoman". Pineyflatwoodsgirl.blogspot.com. 2007-09-08. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  3. Grosz, Elizabeth (1995). Sexy Bodies: the strange carnalities of feminism (1st ed.). London: Routledge. p. 234. ISBN 0-415-09802-5.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Folk Heritage Awards Recipient: IDA GOODSON - Florida Folklife Program - Preservation - Florida Division of Historical Resources". Dhr.dos.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  5. "The Classic Blues, 1900-1920s". Calliope.org. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
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