Delaney may have been born Mattie Doyle south of Tchula, Mississippi,[2] but the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc suggest she was Mattie B. Delaney, born near Goodman, Mississippi.
Contemporary witnesses remember seeing her perform at Swan Lake, Mississippi.
[6] One music journalist noted "Delaney issuing a matter-of-fact report in 'Tallahatchie River Blues'".
[7] She was unusual for a female performer of the time, in that she played guitar accompaniment and sang topical songs.
[8] Two of Delaney's songs were included on the compilation album Mississippi Girls (1928–1931), issued in September 1991.