Vocal Colour in Blue

This essay invokes a line of historical singing lessons that locate blues singers Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters in the lineage Broadway belters. Contesting idea black women who sang performed on musical stage early twentieth century possessed “untrained” voices—a pervasive narrative retains currency present-day voice pedagogy literature—I argue is sonic citational practice. In act producing vocal sound, one implicitly cites acts teacher from whom has learned song. And, I suggest, if performance always “twice-behaved,” then particular modes doubleness present point up this citationality, condition sound name “twice-heard.” considering how performances replicate transmit knowledge, “voice lesson” serves as key site for analysis. My experiences coach composer New York City over two decades ground my approach listening body sound. Foregrounding perspective embodied experience practitioners colour, critique myth “natural belter” obscures performers have drawn blueswomen’s