Bessie Smith

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BessieSmith

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Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an influential American blues singer, widely renowned as the "Empress of the Blues." She was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Smith's powerful voice and emotive performances made her a pivotal figure in the development of the blues genre.

Early Life

Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, into a poor African American family. Her exact birth date is uncertain because birth records were not consistently kept for African Americans in the South at that time. After losing her parents at a young age, Smith began performing on the streets of Chattanooga to earn money for her family, which included six siblings.

Career

Smith's career began to take off in the early 1920s when she was discovered by Ma Rainey, another prominent blues singer of the time, who is said to have mentored her. Smith's recording career began in 1923 with Columbia Records, and her first record, "Downhearted Blues," was a massive success, selling over 800,000 copies.

Over the next decade, Smith became the highest-paid black entertainer of her day, making numerous recordings, including hits like "T'aint Nobody's Bizness if I Do" and "St. Louis Blues." Her music was characterized by its emotional depth and her ability to convey the complexities of black life in America through her songs.

Personal Life

Smith's personal life was as tumultuous as her voice was powerful. She was openly bisexual and had relationships with both men and women throughout her life. Smith was married to Jack Gee in 1923, but the marriage was fraught with difficulties, and they eventually separated.

Death and Legacy

Bessie Smith's life came to a tragic end on September 26, 1937, when she was critically injured in a car accident in Mississippi. Reports about her death were filled with controversy and speculation, including the myth that she died because a white hospital refused to treat her. However, this has been debunked by contemporary research.

Despite her untimely death, Smith's legacy endures. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and her recordings continue to be celebrated for their profound impact on the blues genre and American music as a whole. Smith's style and vocal prowess influenced generations of singers, from Billie Holiday to Janis Joplin.

In Popular Culture

Bessie Smith's life and music have been the subject of numerous books, plays, and films, most notably the HBO film "Bessie," starring Queen Latifah, which brought renewed attention to her life and career.

See Also

• Blues
• Ma Rainey
• African American music