Baker, Ida Mae (aka Ida Mae Maple)

Ida Mae Baker's stage name in Chicago was Ida Mae Maple (sometimes spelled as "Maples"). She was born in Paducah, KY, the daughter of Ida W. and William S. Baker. Her father was a preacher and her mother was a hairdresser and a music teacher, according to the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Census, and Paducah city directories. Ida Mae Baker was a piano player, she attended State University (Louisville, KY) and Chicago Musical College [Wikipedia]. While still in Paducah, KY, Ida Mae Baker was a music teacher [sources: Caron's Directory of the City of Paducah, Ky. for 1914-1915; 1916-1917; and 1918-1919]. Ida Mae Baker was involved in church productions and minstrel performances in Paducah [sources: "Paducah, Ky" in The Freeman, 06/13/1908, p.4; and "In Old Paduke. K. of P. All-Star Minstrels break all former records as to artisticness" Freeman 05/08/1915, p.1]. Ida Mae Baker left Paducah, KY, for Chicago, IL, where she married Dewey E. Maple on September 3, 1919 [source: Ancestry.com Illinois Marriage Indexes]. Dewey Ellison Maple (1899-1945) was also from Kentucky, and worked as steam engineer in Chicago. He was born in Bardwell, KY; grew up in Paducah, KY; died in Chicago, IL [source: Ancestry.com Illinois Deaths Stillbirths Index]; and he is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Paducah, KY [source: Find A Grave]. Once in Chicago, Ida Mae Maple continued to play the piano professionally, and lead a six-member group called the Melody Masters Orchestra, and she was also head of Ida Mae Maples Merry Makers. Her groups were said to be in high demand. Ida Mae Baker Maples death date is not known at this time. For more see "Ida Maples" in American Women in Jazz: 1900 to the present: their words, lives, and music by S. Placksin.