Artist:Bessie Smith
Song:St. Louis Blues
Album:The Essential Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith was known as the Empress Of The Blues and was one of the most important figures in modern music history. She was born Apr. 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, TN. Her parents died when she was very young and she started performing with her siblings on the streets of Chattanooga to earn money. In 1912, she went on the road with a traveling troupe that included the very popular Ma Rainey. Bessie started her own act in 1913 and became very popular on the east coast. The popularity of a singer named Mamie Smith encouraged Columbia Records to scout for blues singers for their new Okeh race label. Bessie first recorded for Okeh in 1923. This 2CD comp includes a lot of those recordings. Bessie worked with a lot of the great jazz musicians of the day and this 1925 recording of St. Louis Blues was arranged by Fletcher Henderson and features Louis Armstrong on trumpet. The 1929 Great Depression ended Bessie's recording career but she continued to perform in clubs and on stage. John Hammond saw her in 1933 and brought her into the studio to make what turned out to be her final recordings. Bessie Smith died because of a serious car accident on Sept. 26, 1937 at age 43. Bessie Smith was a very powerful performer and her music still holds up remarkably well. The Empress Of The Blues has been a major influence on anyone who has ever sung the blues. Bessie Smith made one film appearance in the 1929 short St. Louis Blues. She was accompanied by James P. Johnson on piano, Fletcher Henderson's orchestra and the Hall Johnson Choir. Here is the complete 15 minute film.
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