Bessie Smith was an iconic American blues singer, often referred to as the "Empress of the Blues."
She was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s and a major influence on both blues and jazz vocalists.
Smith's marriage to Jack Gee was marked by infidelity, and she was known for her relationships with both men and women, including her longtime lover Ruby Walker.
Biography
Early Life
Bessie Smith was born on April 15, 1894, in Tennessee, and she would go on to become one of the most celebrated blues singers in American history. Known as the "Empress of the Blues," Smith's powerful voice and emotive performances made her a prominent figure during the Jazz Age. She was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s, and her influence extended far beyond her time.
Career
Smith's career took off in the 1920s when she began recording for Columbia Records. Her first record was released just as she married Jack Gee on June 7, 1923. Throughout her career, she headlined her own shows, often featuring large ensembles and touring in a custom-built railroad car. Smith's music, characterized by its deep emotional resonance, included hits like "Downhearted Blues" and "Empty Bed Blues," which solidified her status as a leading figure in the blues genre. She was known for her bold performances and was often seen frequenting Buffet Flats, venues that catered to African Americans during a time of segregation.
Personal Life
Bessie Smith's personal life was as vibrant as her music. Her marriage to Jack Gee was tumultuous, marked by infidelity on both sides. Smith was openly bisexual and had numerous relationships with both men and women, including a long-term relationship with Ruby Walker. Despite the challenges in her personal life, Smith's artistic expression flourished, and she became a symbol of empowerment for many.
Legacy
Bessie Smith's legacy is profound; she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Her recordings have been recognized for their cultural significance, with several inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 1994, the U.S. Postal Service honored her with a commemorative stamp, and in 2023, Rolling Stone ranked her as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. Smith's impact on music continues to resonate, influencing generations of artists across genres.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Me and My Gin2018
- 1.Me and My Gin2:54
- 2.Muddy Waters3:10
- 3.Thinking Blues3:12
- 4.Hot Spring Blues2:59
- 5.Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair3:26
- 6.Sweet Mistreater3:05
- 7.Lock and Key3:02
- 8.Yes Indeed He Do!3:17
- 9.You Ought to Be Ashamed3:09
- 10.Slow and Easy Man3:00
- 11.Poor Man's Blues3:28
- 12.Please Help Me Get Him off My Mind2:59
- 13.I'd Rather Be Dead and Buried in My Grave3:02
- 14.Standin' in the Rain Blues2:57
- 15.Put It Right Here3:04
- 16.There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight3:23
- 17.Trombone Cholly3:12
- 18.Them's Graveyard Words3:00
- 19.Homeless Blues3:03
- 20.Foolish Man Blues2:58
- 21.Pickpocket Blues2:47
- 22.The Yellow Dog Blues3:05
- 23.Soft Pedal Blues3:21
- 24.Dixie Flyer Blues3:11
- 25.Nashville Woman's Blues3:45
The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection2016
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Best of Bessie Smith2015
- 1.Down Hearted Blues3:25
- 2.Baby Won’t You Please Come Home2:56
- 3.’Tain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do3:27
- 4.Work House Blues3:21
- 5.St. Louis Blues (with Louis Armstrong)3:10
- 6.You’ve Been a Good Ole Wagon3:28
- 7.Careless Love3:25
- 8.Young Woman’s Blues3:08
- 9.Preachin’ the Blues2:51
- 10.Backwater Blues3:18
- 11.There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight3:19
- 12.Send Me to the ’Lectric Chair3:21
- 13.Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 13:01
- 14.Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 23:20
- 15.Me and My Gin2:50
- 16.Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out2:57
- 17.Black Mountain Blues3:08
- 18.Long Old Road3:26
- 19.Need a Little Sugar In My Bowl2:48
- 20.Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer3:29
Young Woman's Blues2007
- 1.Down Hearted Blues3:30
- 2.Weeping Willow Blues3:13
- 3.St. Louis Blues3:13
- 4.Reckless Blues3:05
- 5.Sobbin' Hearted Blues3:05
- 6.Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town3:22
- 7.Money Blues3:13
- 8.Young Woman's Blues3:11
- 9.Back-Water Blues3:20
- 10.After You've Gone3:01
- 11.Trombone Cholly3:14
- 12.Mean Old Bedbug Blues3:16
- 13.Dyin' by the Hour3:02
- 14.Empty Bed Blues (Part 1)3:05
- 15.Empty Bed Blues (Part 2)3:21
- 16.Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out2:52
- 17.Me and My2:59
- 18.Do Your Duty3:25
Charly Blues Masterworks, Volume 31: Empress of the Blues1993
- 1.Down Hearted Blues3:27
- 2.Gulf Coast Blues3:06
- 3.Aggravatin' Papa3:18
- 4.T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do3:28
- 5.Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time3:12
- 6.My Sweetie Went Away3:12
- 7.Any Woman's Blues3:26
- 8.Weeping Willow Blues3:10
- 9.Careless Love Blues3:27
- 10.I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle3:23
- 11.I Ain't Got Nobody3:11
- 12.Empty Bed Blues6:24
- 13.Do Your Duty3:27
- 14.Gimme a Pig Foot3:32
Empress of the Blues1992
- 1.Downhearted Blues3:28
- 2.T'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do3:31
- 3.St Louis Blues3:14
- 4.You've Been a Good Ole Wagon3:31
- 5.I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle3:24
- 6.Young Woman's Blues3:12
- 7.Muddy Water3:10
- 8.Empty Bed Blues6:26
- 9.Nobody Knows You When You're Down3:01
- 10.Black Mountain Blues3:11
- 11.Do Your Duty3:29
- 12.Gimme a Pigfoot3:33
- 13.Surf Coast Blues3:07
- 14.Baby, Won't You Please Come Home2:59
- 15.Easy Come, Easy Go Blues3:11
- 16.Rockin' Chair Blues3:14
The Complete Recordings, Volume 31992
- 1.Red Mountain Blues3:14
- 2.Golden Rule Blues3:06
- 3.Lonesome Desert Blues3:27
- 4.Them 'Has Been' Blues3:34
- 5.Squeeze Me2:53
- 6.What's the Matter Now?2:47
- 7.I Want Every Bit of It2:38
- 8.Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town3:21
- 9.The Gin House Blues3:15
- 10.Money Blues3:12
- 11.Baby Doll3:02
- 12.Hard Driving Papa2:59
- 13.Lost Your Head Blues2:56
- 14.Hard Time Blues3:15
- 15.Honey Man Blues3:15
- 16.One and Two Blues2:55
- 17.Young Woman's Blues3:10
- 18.Preachin' the Blues2:52
- 19.Back Water Blues3:20
- 20.After You've Gone2:58
- 21.Alexander's Ragtime Band2:58
- 22.Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)3:09
- 23.There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight3:21
- 24.Trombone Cholly3:13
- 25.Send Me to the 'lectric Chair3:23
- 26.Them's Graveyard Words3:00
- 27.Hot Spring Blues2:57
- 28.Sweet Mistreater3:03
- 29.Lock and Key3:00
- 30.Mean Old Bedbug Blues3:14
- 31.A Good Man Is Hard to Find3:02
- 32.Homeless Blues3:01
- 33.Looking for My Man Blues2:50
- 34.Dyin' by the Hour3:00
- 35.Foolish Man Blues2:55
- 36.Thinking Blues3:10
- 37.Pickpocket Blues2:45
- 38.I Used to Be Your Sweet Mama2:51
- 39.I'd Rather Be Dead and Buried in My Grave2:57
1923-1933 Empress of the Blues1991
- 1.Do Your Duty3:26
- 2.Gimme a Pigfoot3:29
- 3.Take Me for a Buggy Ride2:37
- 4.I’m Down in the Dumps3:11
- 5.Safety Mama3:26
- 6.He’s Got Me Goin’3:17
- 7.Take It Right Back3:24
- 8.Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out3:01
- 9.Kitchen Man2:59
- 10.Me and My Gin2:54
- 11.Trombone Cholly3:15
- 12.Alexander’s Ragtime Band3:02
- 13.After You’ve Gone2:59
- 14.Young Woman’s Blues3:09
- 15.I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle3:22
- 16.Careless Love3:28
- 17.Cake Walkin’ Babies From Home3:12
- 18.You’ve Been a Good Ole Wagon3:29
- 19.The St. Louis Blues3:12
- 20.Weepin’ Willow Blues3:11
- 21.My Sweetie Went Away (She Didn’t Say Where, When or Why)3:13
- 22.’taint Nobody’s Bizness If I Do3:30
The Complete Recordings, Volume 21991
- 1.Frankie Blues3:34
- 2.Moonshine Blues3:20
- 3.Lou'siana Low-Down Blues3:26
- 4.Mountain Top Blues3:14
- 5.Work House Blues3:24
- 6.House Rent Blues3:08
- 7.Salt Water Blues3:30
- 8.Rainy Weather Blues3:38
- 9.Weeping Willow Blues3:12
- 10.The Bye Bye Blues3:21
- 11.Sing Sing Prison Blues3:06
- 12.Follow the Deal on Down3:19
- 13.Sinful Blues3:12
- 14.Woman's Trouble Blues3:08
- 15.Love Me Daddy Blues3:16
- 16.Dying Gambler's Blues3:00
- 17.The St. Louis Blues3:13
- 18.Reckless Blues3:06
- 19.Sobbin' Hearted Blues3:01
- 20.Cold in Hand Blues3:15
- 21.You've Been a Good Ole Wagon3:31
- 22.Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home)3:12
- 23.The Yellow Dog Blues3:05
- 24.Soft Pedal Blues3:21
- 25.Dixie Flyer Blues3:11
- 26.Nashville Woman's Blues3:46
- 27.Careless Love Blues3:28
- 28.J. C. Holmes Blues3:06
- 29.I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle3:24
- 30.He's Gone Blues3:12
- 31.Nobody's Blues but Mine2:54
- 32.I Ain't Got Nobody3:12
- 33.My Man Blues3:32
- 34.New Gulf Coast Blues3:24
- 35.Florida Bound Blues3:15
- 36.At the Christmas Ball3:27
- 37.I've Been Mistreated and I Don't Like It2:55
The Legendary King Oliver, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong1991
- 1.Sweet Lovin' Man2:51
- 2.Sugarfoot Stomp2:56
- 3.Southern Stomps2:47
- 4.Big Butter & Egg Man From the West3:13
- 5.Mean Old Bed Bug Blues3:15
- 6.I'm Not Rough2:59
- 7.Working Man's Blues3:00
- 8.Snake Rag3:06
- 9.Keyhole Blues3:31
- 10.Dippermouth Blues2:41
- 11.High Society3:00
The Complete Recordings, Volume 11991
- 1.Down Hearted Blues3:29
- 2.Gulf Coast Blues3:07
- 3.Aggravatin' Papa3:19
- 4.Beale Street Mama3:38
- 5.Baby Won't You Please Come Home2:59
- 6.Oh Daddy Blues3:08
- 7.'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do3:29
- 8.Keeps on A-Rainin' (Papa, He Can't Make No Time)3:10
- 9.Mama's Got the Blues2:59
- 10.Outside of That3:30
- 11.Bleeding Hearted Blues3:09
- 12.Lady Luck Blues3:10
- 13.Yodling Blues3:14
- 14.Midnight Blues3:20
- 15.If You Don't, I Know Who Will3:38
- 16.Nobody in Town Can Bake a Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mine3:34
- 17.Jail-House Blues3:16
- 18.St. Louis Gal3:30
- 19.Sam Jones Blues2:47
- 20.Graveyard Dream Blues2:47
- 21.Cemetery Blues3:32
- 22.Far Away Blues3:03
- 23.I'm Going Back to My Used to Be2:56
- 24.Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time3:13
- 25.My Sweetie Went Away3:14
- 26.Any Woman's Blues3:28
- 27.Chicago Bound Blues3:19
- 28.Mistreating Daddy3:20
- 29.Frosty Morning Blues3:16
- 30.Haunted House Blues3:32
- 31.Eavesdropper's Blues3:13
- 32.Easy Come, Easy Go Blues3:11
- 33.Sorrowful Blues3:20
- 34.Pinchbacks - Take 'em Away3:17
- 35.Rocking Chair Blues3:17
- 36.Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down3:21
- 37.Boweavil Blues2:54
- 38.Hateful Blues3:09
Bessie Smith: The Greatest Blues Singer in the World1990
Tracklist not collected yet.
St Louis Blues1990
Tracklist not collected yet.
I'm Wild About That Thing1990
- 1.Alexander's Ragtime Band3:04
- 2.Trombone Cholly3:14
- 3.Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair3:25
- 4.Lock and Key3:03
- 5.A Good Man Is Hard to Find3:06
- 6.Dyin' by the Hour3:01
- 7.Foolish Man Blues2:57
- 8.Thinking Blues3:10
- 9.Devil's Gonna Get You3:16
- 10.I Used to Be Sweet Mama2:55
- 11.Standing in the Rain2:59
- 12.I'm Wild About That Thing2:55
- 13.You've Got to Give Me Some2:49
- 14.Kitchen Man3:02
- 15.He's Got Me Goin'3:17
- 16.Blue Spirit Blues3:02
- 17.Do Your Duty3:29
The Collection1989
Tracklist not collected yet.
Blue Spirit Blues1989
Tracklist not collected yet.
Mother of the Blues1989
Tracklist not collected yet.
Original Jazz Recordings 1925-19331987
Tracklist not collected yet.
Great Original Performances: 1925-19331986
Tracklist not collected yet.
Nobody's Blues But Mine1972
Tracklist not collected yet.
Empty Bed Blues1971
Tracklist not collected yet.
The World's Greatest Blues Singer1970
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Bessie Smith Story, Volume 11951
Tracklist not collected yet.
Empress Of The Blues1940
Tracklist not collected yet.
Bessie Smith Album1938
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Columbia Records
Achievements
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Award
- National Women's Hall of Fame
Influenced by
Groups
- Bessie Smith & Her Blue Boysoriginalcurrent
- Bessie Smith & Her Down Home Trioeponymouscurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Smith, Bessie, The Empress of the Blues
Bessie Smith was an African-American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues" and formerly Queen of the Blues, she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, she is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and was a major influence on fellow blues singers, as well as jazz vocalists.
All links
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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