While Viola Davis plays Ma Rainey in the new film version of August Wilson's play, the voice of Ma is mainly that of Maxayn Lewis. A member of The Ikettes in the late-1960s, Paulette Parker as she was then, the Tulsa, Oklahoma singer's birth name, into the 70s she and her husband formed funk soul psychedelic band Maxayn who recorded for the Capricorn label. Later as a backing vocalist the singer performed with Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Van Morrison (on the 1977 Dr John co-produced A Period of Transition), Diana Ross and Michael Jackson to name but a few. What a voice.