The 17-minute film boasted a screenplay by W.C. Significant, long-lasting relationships included Fred Longshaw, her musical director; Lillian Simpson, an old classmate; and Richard Morgan, a married businessman who became her troupe manager. Her expansive range brought blues music to new audiences of all backgrounds. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In February 1923 she made her first recordings, including the classic “Down Hearted Blues,” which became an enormous success, selling more than two million copies. Her most notable songs included “Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do,” “Careless Love Blues,” “Empty Bed Blues,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” and “Gimme a Pigfoot.”. Bessie Smith. If you are interested to know more about the well known American blues singer, check Facts about Bessie Smit h. Smith was born on 15 April 1894 and passed away on 26 September 1937. Citation Information Article Title With the initiation of her elder brother who was part of a travelling troupe, Bessie got an audition and was hired as dancer, because the … The first major blues and jazz singer on record and one of the most powerful of all time, Bessie Smith rightly earned the title of "The Empress of the Blues." By the time the Depression began in 1929, the classic blues musical tradition was no longer in style, and in 1931 Columbia Records dropped Bessie Smith. In her music, Bessie Smith — known as the "Empress Of The Blues" — communicated the kind of outward urgency and inner stillness that often signals the … The great tragedy of her career was that she outlived the topicality of her idiom. Known as the ‘Empress of Blues’, Bessie Smith was one of the strongest blues vocalists in 1920s and 1930s. https://bust.com/feminism/197696-bisexual-women-to-know.html K. Kris Hirst is an archaeologist with 30 years of field experience. She was born on April 15, 1894 in … In the late 1920s her record sales and her fame diminished with the Great Depression and as social forces changed the face of popular music and bowdlerized the earthy realism of the sentiments she expressed in her music. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Bessie Smith was known as the "Empress of the Blues." Bessie attributes her success, by working continuously with Louis Armstrong. Columbia recording studio impresario Frank Walker first heard Bessie in 1917 (or so he later claimed), and in 1923, Walker arranged for her first recording. Bessie Smith is considered to be one of the most popular and successful blues singers of the 1920 s and `30s. Handy and Kenneth W. Adams, and in it, Bessie sang the song accompanied by James P. Johnson on the piano. caroline3247 caroline3247 Answer: Empress of the Blues. She recorded and played gigs with a host of the most important blues and jazz artists of the day, including Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman. Bessie lost both her parents at a tender age and was taken care of by her elder sister. What is now one organization began as two that were distinctly separate. As a black girl growing up in 1970s Glasgow, poet Jackie Kay developed a passion for Bessie Smith. Bessie lost both her parents at a tender age and was taken care of by her elder sister. Bessie Smith was born into poverty in Chattanooga, Tennessee, one of seven children of William and Laura Smith. Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – Sept. 26, 1937) was one of the most popular and best-selling performers and recording artists of the 1920s. They called her the “ Empress of the Blues. Her work has appeared in scholarly publications such as Archaeology Online and Science. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The cast included Will and Gertrude Rainey. When the recording was released, it became a solid hit, with 780,000 copies sold in the first six months. The life of The Empress of the Blues Elizabeth Smith, mostly known as Bessie Smith was a talented, beautiful, strong lady. Updates? She was born on the date of 15th April 1894. There are 160 recordings of Bessie Smith's wonderful voice, and she sang many more on big city stages between 1913 and her death in 1937. This helped her gain much reputation, and by 1920, she had thousands of sales regarding copies of her songs, i.e., `crazy blues.’ Her performances were top notch and caught the eye of a talent agent Frank Walker. She is known to well for her dominance in the blues genre music in the span of around 1920s and 1930s. She made more than a hundred recordings, both of blues and popular songs, paving the … Her father was a Baptist minister and a laborer. Therefore, she earned the nickname The Empress of the Blues. It was said that, had she been white, she would have received medical treatment that would have saved her life, and Edward Albee made this the subject of his play The Death of Bessie Smith (1960). She was known for her rich contralto voice and her breathtaking emotional intensity. She was a highly accomplished blues singer of the "Classic Blues" tradition, a woman who began singing on the streets of Chattanooga, Tennessee at the age of 10, and rose to become the highest paid Black entertainer in America. Smith stayed with Columbia Records until 1931. Grab a copy of our NEW encyclopedia for Kids! In the year 1923, he signed her to Columbia records. The inscription reads, "The Greatest Blues Singer in the World Will Never Stop Singing—Bessie Smith—1895-1937.". Explanation: New questions in History. About 1913 Smith toured with Ma Rainey, one of the first of the great blues singers, and afterward traveled through the South singing in tent shows and bars and theatres. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bessie-Smith, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Biography of Bessie Smith, All About Jazz - Biography of Bessie Smith, BlackPast.org - Biography of Bessie Smith, Bessie Smith - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The Most Phenomenal Women in Music History, Biography of Frank Sinatra, Legendary Singer, Entertainer, Biography of Johnny Cash, American Singer-Songwriter, 10 Powerhouse Women Sing Bossa Nova Classics, 40 Best Frank Sinatra Songs to Play at Your Wedding, Biography of Marilyn Monroe, Model and Actress. She was hired as a dancer by the vaudeville company Moses Stokes, where her brother Clarence had been hired a couple of years earlier. Smith had a rough childhood growing up. Known as the ‘Empress of Blues’, Bessie Smith was one of the strongest blues vocalists in 1920s and 1930s. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Bessie Smith — St. Louis Blues, 1925, YouTube A Tragic End. His 1971 biography of Smith has been … She was the youngest of eight children born to a part-time Baptist preacher who ran a small mission in the one-room wooden shack that was their home. Bessie Smith Known as the “Empress Of Blues”, Bessie Smith was said to have revolutionized the vocal end of Blues Music. In this extract from her new book, she remembers the wild spirit who helped her … Bessie Smith was known as the "Empress of the Blues" for the majesty and power with which she belted out tunes. In 1912, Smith had her first professional gig. Known in her lifetime as the “Empress of the Blues,” Smith was a bold, supremely confident artist who often disdained the use of a microphone and whose art expressed the frustrations and hopes of a whole generation of black Americans. At an early age, Bessie Smith and her brother Andrew became street performers: She sang and did dance steps while he accompanied her on the guitar. Bessie smith was known for what 2 See answers I LOVE BESSIE SMITH One of my favorite singers of ALL time alexburkes60 alexburkes60 She was a blues singer. Here are a few of the classics associated with her. Her unforgettably amazing voice established her as the classical blues singer. To fend for the family, Bessie and her brother started performing on the street. She may have made a first public appearance at the age of eight or nine at the Ivory Theatre in her hometown. About 1913 she toured in a show with Ma Rainey, one of the first of the great blues singers, from whom she received some training. Born poor somewhen between 1894 and 1898 - the exact date is uncertain - Bessie Smith started out as a street musician in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her father died soon after her birth and her mother and two of her brothers died by the time she was eight or … She showed a lot of pride as an independent African-American woman. Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S. Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. American singer known as the Empress of the blues. B lueswoman Bessie Smith was a complex character, a self-made superstar whose biography is often stranger than fiction. Smith's career included long-term runs at major venues, playing to packed houses throughout the twenties in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, and Memphis. By all accounts, Smith was a feisty and pugnacious woman, with a strong streak of independence. Bessie Smith’s successful career continued until 1937 when tragedy struck. She was not only a talented singer, but had the ability to throw her voice from the stage and … Then again, few people had her brilliant, tragic life. Born in 1892 in Chattanooga, she was one of 13 children. Selected discography. The Bessie Smith Performance Hall has become well known in the Chattanooga community as an educational institution and spectacular venue to host performances, banquets, meetings and various community events. She recorded 160 songs between 1923 and her death in 1937. She appeared in a short motion picture, St. Louis Blues (1929), since 2006 preserved in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress. Bessie was born on April 15, 1894, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The film, based on the lyrics of the song, which Smith sings, is the only known footage of the singer and shows the emotional power of her performance. Bessie Smith (songwriter) Queen Latifah (recording artist) Evyen Klean (music supervisor) Jennifer Reeve (music supervisor) Song: "Long Old Road" Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards 2016 Nominee Artisan: Best Period and/or Character Makeup - Television Mini-Series or … She is still a star of the Blues scene and, although she has not recorded in a couple of years, her public appearances and fearsome reputation for hard living have ensured her lasting fame. Known in her lifetime as the “Empress of the Blues,” Smith was a bold, supremely confident artist who often disdained the use of a microphone and whose art expressed the frustrations and hopes of a whole generation of Black Americans. July 1, 2003 • Writer and producer Chris Albertson is considered an authority on blues singer Bessie Smith. She was well known during the jazz age. 1894-1937 / Singer. Her1924 contract with TOBA made her the highest paid Black performer in the country. She died from injuries sustained in a road accident. At the wheel is Richard Morgan, a well-known Chicago club owner and ex-bootlegger: the passenger is his girlfriend Bessie Smith. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. To help raise money for her family, she … Singer. The song by Bessie Smith uses the famous saxophone as the foremost redundant melodic flow that accompanies by Bessie Smith singing. Bessie Smith was born on April 15, 1894, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bessie Smith was one of the greatest blues vocalists ever. Sources. Dr. Scott: I think the greatest criticism is that, the street itself in the early 20th century wasn't known as a stage for women. By 1924, Smith was already known as the "Queen of the Blues" thanks to her clear, expressive voice. Bessie Smith's 'Back-Water Blues': The Story Behind the Song. ” Born into poverty in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bessie Smith began singing for coins on street corners and rose to become the largest-selling recording artist of her day. Omissions? Smith’s subject matter was the classic material of the blues: poverty and oppression, love—betrayed or unrequited—and stoic acceptance of defeat at the hands of a cruel and indifferent world. She had a powerful voice, which she enhanced with a precise control of pitch and a unique expressive ability. Corrections? Bessie Smith, known as the “empress of the blues,” reigned in the 1920s across the United States and Europe. Nicknamed the Empress of the Blues, she was the most popular female blues singer of … Bessie Smith is an American Jazz musician in the genre of blues. She made 160 recordings in all, in many of which she was accompanied by some of the great jazz musicians of the time, including Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, and Louis Armstrong. She made 160 recordings in all, in many of which she was accompanied by some of the great jazz musicians of the 1920s and ’30s, including Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, and Louis Armstrong. For the Record …. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Her father, William Smith, a part time Baptist minister died when Bessie was an … Known as the Empress of the Blues, Smith was born into poverty and orphaned at an early age. In 1925, she informally adopted "Snooks," the six-year-old son of one of her chorus girls (chorines), and later renamed him Jack Gee, Jr. Bessie Smith was bisexual, and had many affairs with men and women, mostly side men and chorines in her retinue. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Bessie’s debut album became an instant hit, with a famous single called `Downhearted blues.’ It had a hi… She was known for her rich contralto voice and her breathtaking emotional intensity. She was inducted into both the Blues Hall of Fame (1980), in its inaugural class, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1989). After 1920 she made her home in Philadelphia, and it was there that she was first heard by Clarence Williams, a representative of Columbia Records. In 1929, Bessie Smith made her first and only movie: a two-reel short for RCA Phototone based on the blues classic "St. Louis Blues." Bessie Smith, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as an “early influencer,” died at the age of 43 on September 26, 1937. To fend for the family, Bessie and her brother started performing on the street. In 1920s and 1930s, she became the most popular blues singer in United States. Singers come and go all the time, but few leave as great a mark as Bessie Smith did. She was known for her rich contralto voice and her breathtaking emotional intensity. Bessie did find time to attend West Main Street Elementary School in Chattanooga as far as the 8th or 9th grade. Her deeds became the stuff of legend. Her style in performance and lyrics often reflected her lifestyle. The 78 rpm disc included two songs: "Downhearted Blues" and "Gulf Coast Blues." In February 1923 Smith made her first recordings, including the classic “Down Hearted Blues,” which became an enormous success, selling more than two million copies. She was buried in Mount Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, but didn't get a headstone until 1970, when blues singer Janis Joplin and businesswoman Juanita Green paid for the stone. She first married in 1922, a man named Earl Love, a soldier from Mississippi, and after he died she married nightwatchman Jack Gee in 1923. So, Bessie Smith was out there performing in the streets. Soon she was among the highest-paid Black performers of her time with hits like "Downhearted Blues. Bessie Smith sang city blues, a song style of the early 20th century United States that was written by male songwriters and performed exclusively by female singers from the professional vaudeville stage, accompanied only by a pianist or by a small jazz band. Bessie Smith died as the result of a car crash near Clarksville, Tennessee on September 26, 1937. Bessie Smith was known as one of the most influential, popular Blues singer during the 1920s, along with jazz singer Louis Armstrong. Bessie Smith, in full Elizabeth Smith, (born April 15, 1894?, Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.—died September 26, 1937, Clarksdale, Mississippi), American singer, one of the greatest blues vocalists. Coming to be known as one of the fundamental jazz plays in history, it has comprised of the blues aspect in the rhythmic flow, a quality that had not been explored. Bessie Smithcould develop her acts and started performing at Atlantis 81 theatre. Bessie Smith is known as the Empress of the Blues, and she still holds the title even more than 70 years after her death in 1937. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Bessie Smith, photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 1936. Her gradually increasing alcoholism caused managements to become wary of engaging her, but there is no evidence that her actual singing ability ever declined. Stage performances as part of her career came first at around 1913. Smith grew up in poverty and obscurity. Her parents died before she turned 10, and her oldest sister Viola raised the children by taking in laundry. Biography of Bessie Smith (1894-1937). Even on her first records in 1923, her passionate voice overcame the primitive recording quality of the day and still communicates easily to today's listeners (which is not true of any other singer from that early period). As one of the first Blues stars, Smith changed the course of American culture forever—but in the end, her fame came at a heartbreakingly high price. Known in her lifetime as the “Empress of the Blues,” Smith was a bold, supremely confident artist who often disdained the use of a microphone and whose art expressed the frustrations and hopes of a whole generation of black Americans. Bessie was accompanied by theatrical producer Clarence Williams on the piano. She is credited with recording more than 160 songs between 1923 and 1933. Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – Sept. 26, 1937) was one of the most popular and best-selling performers and recording artists of the 1920s. Known as the “Empress of the Blues,” Bessie Smith influenced entire generations of blues, jazz, and rock musicians and was the highest-paid black entertainer of her time. For several years Smith traveled through the South singing in tent shows and bars and theatres in small towns and in such cities as Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia. Gertrude, or Ma Rainey, is known as the "Mother of the Blues"; she was undoubtedly an influence on Bessie Smith's beginnings. Nevertheless, she was able to land fairly steady gigs at the theaters across Philadelphia, and she began recording again in 1933. She was a highly accomplished blues singer of the "Classic Blues" tradition, a woman who began singing on the streets of Chattanooga, Tennessee at the age of 10, and rose to become the highest paid Black entertainer in America. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Bessie Smith began to sing at a young age and in 1923 signed a contract with Columbia Records. Preachin' the Blues:' Bessie Smith's Secular Religion and Alice Walker's The Color Purple, The Blues Tribute Poem and the Legacies of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey and Bessie Smith, Black Women in Song: Some Socio~Cultural Images, Bessie Smith: 'Down Hearted Blues' and 'Gulf Coast Blues' Revisited, Empress of the Blues: The Complete Recordings. The company toured in Baltimore, Atlantic City, and Philadelphia, where Bessie Smith eventually settled. 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