Bessie "Empress of the Blues" Smith was the most popluar blues singer in the 1920's and 1930's. She was born on April 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, though the 1900 census records it as July 1892. She is the daughter of Laura and Wiiliam Smith. Her parents didn't have much money, but by the time Bessie was nine, she had lost both of them and a brother.
To earn money, Bessie and her older brother Andrew would sing and dance on the street in the African-American communities. In 1912, she was signed to the Stokes troupe as a dancer instead of a singer. Eventually she moved on to various chorus lines and other musical shows. In 1923, she signed with Columbia Records. Her first song released was called "Downhearted Blues" and was hit with the public right off the bat. Between doing theater shows and tent tours, Bessie traveled around a lot of the country and eventually came to be the highest paid black entertainer of her day. She had around 160 recordings Columbia Records before her career was suddenly cut short.
Due to the Great Depression, the recording industry was all but put out of business, but Bessie never stopped performing. She started singing in clubs and singing on Broadway. Eventually she starred in a film called "St. Louis Blues" in 1929. After that, she started singing swing music for a few years before dying in 1937.
On September 26, 1937, Bessie was tragically killed in a car accident. She continues to live in the hearts of old and new fans alike. I think that not only Bessie, but all blues singers, had a great impact on what music is today. This was the music that helped people through the rough times in the 20's. If it weren't for singers like Bessie, we may not have the music we have today, and I am greatful for those people.
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