The Jazz Vocalist - Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith's life was a testament to her resilience, talent, and the challenges faced by African Americans during the early 20th century. Born into poverty in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in either July 1892 or April 15, 1894, depending on the source, she experienced a difficult childhood marked by the loss of her parents and siblings. Bessie and her brother Andrew resorted to street performances to make ends meet, showcasing their talents on the streets of Chattanooga.

In 1912, Bessie got her big break when her brother Clarence, who was part of a traveling troupe, arranged an audition for her with Lonnie and Cora Fisher, the managers of the troupe. Despite initially being hired as a dancer, Bessie's vocal talent soon became evident. Her association with Ma Rainey, a popular blues singer, likely contributed to the development of her stage presence.

Bessie Smith's recording career took off in 1923 when she signed with Columbia Records. Her first recording session on February 15, 1923, produced hits like "Downhearted Blues" and "Gulf Coast Blues." As her popularity grew, she became a headliner on the Theatre Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) circuit, earning the title "Queen of the Blues" and later "Empress of the Blues." Bessie was accompanied by some of the finest musicians of her time, including Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, and Fletcher Henderson, in her recordings for Columbia.

Despite the challenges posed by the Great Depression and the decline of vaudeville, Bessie Smith continued to perform, even venturing into Broadway and film. Her film appearance in "St. Louis Blues" in 1929 marked a unique chapter in her career.

Tragically, on September 26, 1937, Bessie Smith's life was cut short in a car crash on U.S. Route 61 between Memphis, Tennessee, and Clarksdale, Mississippi. Her lover, Richard Morgan, was driving, and the accident resulted in severe injuries, with Bessie's right arm almost completely severed. Dr. Hugh Smith, the first person on the scene, attributed her death to extensive and severe crush injuries to the entire right side of her body, consistent with a sideswipe collision.

The circumstances surrounding her death, including the delay in receiving medical attention due to racial segregation in hospitals, reflect the challenges faced by African Americans in the segregated South. Despite the tragic end to her life, Bessie Smith's legacy endures, and she is celebrated as one of the greatest blues singers of her era.

References;

1.  "Bessie Smith: Controversy". SparkNotes. October 4, 1937. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
2. ^ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 50. ISBN 978-0313344237.
3. ^ Scott, Michelle R. (2010). Blues Empress in Black culture: Bessie Smith and the Emerging Urban South. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 152. ISBN 9780252092374.
4. 1900 US census, Hamilton, Tennessee, Schedule 1, Chattanooga Ward 04, District 0060, p.23.
5. 1910 US Census, Chattanooga, Hamilton, Tennessee, Ward 7, Enumeration District 0065, Sheet 2B, Family No. 48.^
6. Albertson, Chris (2003). Bessie. New Haven: [Yale University Press]. ISBN 0-300-09902-9.
7. Jasen, David A.; Jones, Gene (September 1998). Spreadin' Rhythm Around: Black Popular Songwriters, 1880–1930. New York City: Schirmer Books. p. 289. ISBN 978-0-02-864742-5.^
8. Moore, Carman (March 9, 1969). "Blues and Bessie Smith". The New York Times. pp. 262, 270. Retrieved April 27, 2020.