Bessie Smith - 'The Empress of Jazz'

I have always been an avid lover of Blues music, deep south blues, Chicago blues, it's histsory, it's origins, it's significance to the social histories of black people and their place in America, the pioneers, the heroes and it's influence of music. So you can imagine my glee when i discovered Bessie Smith, notably one of the best female Blues singers of all time, and definitely my favorite.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in in April 1894, Bessie Smith is widely regarded as the 'Empress of Blues', with her notably earthy voice, she was one of the first black females to record and sell hundreds of thousands of copies of her music.

Having lost several members of her immediate family at a young age, Smith discovered her unusual voice, and used it to sing on streets for money with her brother on guitar. Joining the Moses Stokes traveling minstrel show at 18 years old exposed Smith to the musical circuit. But this was a hard life, with late hours, gambling, alcohol abuse and low pay. After being discovered by Frank Walker from Columbia records in 1923, Smith recorded her first hits 'Downhearted Blues' and 'Gulf Coat Blues' - songs which went on to sell over 780 thousand copies across America.

Smith established a strong following and she was earning a large amount of money for a black female in the twenties. I really believe she broke the stigmas single handedly, with her music and her voice. A true blues artist, Smith knew first hand the struggles of life, as she battled with them herself. Failed Marriages, alcohol addiction, violence and infidelity, Bessie smith lived the Blues, allowing her to deliver songs with the real emotion.

On september 26 1937, Bessie Smith and a friend were involved in a fatal car accident en route to a show, resulting in thousands of adoring fans to turn out for her funeral. Heralded by Gunther Schuller as 'the first complete jazz singe', Smith influenced later Jazz musicians such as Billie Holiday, and psychedelic sixties singer Janis Joplin. It's quite incredible the similarities in their voice, I can now really hear Janis Joplin trying to emulate Smith's grainy, textured tone. Furthermore, I previously thought that Billie Holiday was one of the very first black female recording artists to sell large amounts of records. But now I see where her influences came from - everyone is influenced by someone.

Below I have posted some photos of Bessie Smith, Videos and a book. If you are interested in Blues music, I strongly recommend you buying Deep Blues by Robert Palmer, a great book all about the origins of blues music in America.

 

 

'Bessie' - Biography by Christ Albertson

The first Bessie Smith song i heard; I subsequently fell in love with her music and her voice.

One of my favorite of her songs. 

Bessie Smith starring in St Louis Blues - Part one. Smith was one of the first artists to be part of a feature length music videos. Very worth a watch.

Part two here.