ited ▁as ▁Little ▁Laura ▁D uk es , ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁bl ues ▁singer , ▁dan cer , ▁and ▁mand olin , ▁ban jo ▁and ▁uk ule le ▁player . ▁She ▁performed ▁and ▁recorded ▁in ▁M emph is , ▁Tennessee , ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Life ▁She ▁was ▁born ▁Laura ▁El la ▁Smith ▁in ▁North ▁M emph is , ▁where ▁her ▁father ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁drum mer ▁in ▁W . ▁C . ▁Hand y ' s ▁band . ▁He ▁took ▁her ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁child ▁to ▁the aters ▁and ▁ta ver ns , ▁where ▁she ▁began ▁performing ▁and ▁later ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁singer ▁and ▁dan cer . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁often ▁bil led ▁as ▁" L ittle ▁Laura " ▁or ▁" L ittle ▁Bit ", ▁an ▁all usion ▁to ▁her ▁ 4 ' 7 " ▁height . ▁ ▁She ▁met ▁bl ues ▁singer ▁Robert ▁Mc Coll um , ▁later ▁known ▁as ▁Robert ▁N ighth awk , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁and ▁began ▁appearing ▁with ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁du o . ▁ ▁After ▁initially ▁learning ▁guitar , ▁she ▁later ▁took ▁up ▁the ▁ban jo , ▁uk ule le ▁and ▁mand olin . ▁ ▁She ▁first ▁recorded ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁playing ▁mand olin ▁on ▁record ings ▁made ▁in ▁Chicago ▁by ▁the ▁M emph is ▁Jug ▁Band , ▁featuring ▁Will ▁Sh ade , ▁for ▁OK eh ▁Records . ▁ ▁She ▁also ▁made ▁record ings ▁in