Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26 1937) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA was the most popular and successful blues singer of 1920s and 30s, and a huge influence on the singers who followed her.

Artistic legacy

A more recent play featuring 14 of the songs Smith made famous, The Devil's Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith by Angelo Parra, was named one of the "top-10 Off-Broadway experiences" of 2001 by the New York Daily News.http://www.parrasite.homestead.com/Bessie.html

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Smith's impact on other singers has been substantial; Singers including Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, and Janis Joplin have all claimed her as an influence. In 1970, when it was discovered that Smith's grave remained unmarked, Joplin offered to pay for a stone and ended up sharing the cost with Juanita Green, who said that she owed her successful career to Bessie Smith. "I was a little girl in a talent contest at the Standard Theatre," Green told Albertson, "and when I came off stage, Bessie was standing in the wings. She asked me if I was in school, and when I nodded, she said, 'You better stay there, 'cause you can't sing.' It was good advice."

Related Topics:
Billie Holiday - Mahalia Jackson - Janis Joplin - 1970 - Juanita Green

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