Ida Cox

Ida Cox was one of the major classic blues singers of the 1920s, a powerful vocalist and shrewd businesswoman who managed her own touring shows at a time when this was virtually unheard of for African American women. She recorded prolifically for Paramount Records between 1923 and 1929, producing hits like 'Wild Women Don't Have the Blues,' 'Death Letter Blues,' and 'Hard Time Blues.' Unlike many of her contemporaries, she wrote much of her own material, and her lyrics frequently addressed themes of female independence and autonomy. She performed with her own touring revues throughout the 1930s and 1940s and made a final recording session in 1961, produced by Chris Albertson with Coleman Hawkins on tenor saxophone.