Why Is Bessie Smith An Influential Figure

Bessie Smith also known as “Empress of the Blues” was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 15, 1894. Bessie’s father passed away shortly after her birth and her mother passed away when she was only twelve years old as well as two of her older brothers. Bessie grew up with her now four siblings and her aunt.

Bessie started performing when she was about fourteen years old. She started as a street singer, then performing in the Moses Stokes minstrel show. Bessie was introduced to Ma Rainey who was another famous blues artist. Ma took Bessie under her wing. Over the next ten years, Bessie was performing at multiple theatres all over town with the help of Ma.

In 1920, Bessie was married to Earl Love. They were only married for a year because

When she released her first song titled, “Downhearted Blues” her career really took off. She soon became a very successful recording artist and toured extensively. Bessie Smith became an influential figure because of “her magnificent voice, sense of the dramatic, clarity of diction (one never missed a word of what she sang), and incomparable time and phrasing set her apart from the competition and made her appeal as much to jazz lovers as to blues lovers” said Chris Albertson. Her songs were also very meaningful. Bessie’s career continued to flourish as she met many other influential accompanists. She worked with Sidney Bechet and Coleman Hawkins who were saxophonists. She also worked with Fletcher Henderson, Fred Longshaw, Porter Grainger and James P. Johnson who were pianists. She recorded one of her most famous songs, “Backwater Blues” with the accompany of James P. Johnson. Bessie worked with the very famous Louis Armstrong as well. Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith sang together in many songs. For example, “Cold in Hand Blues” as well as “I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle” were collaborations of both artists. Bessie Smith was the highest-paid black performer of her day in the 1920s which was a big part of her