File:Bessie_Smith_(1936)_by_Carl_Van_Vechten.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Bessie Smith
Sign in to saveAlso known as The Empress of the Blues, Empress of the Blues
American blues singer (1892–1937)
OverviewAI-generated
Bessie Smith was an American singer, musician, dancer, and street artist. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1894, she was a female vocalist who performed in the blues, jazz, and classic female blues genres. Her professional career began in 1912 and continued until 1937. She recorded for Columbia Records and was recognized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame collection.
Smith died in Clarksdale in 1937 from accidental death resulting from a traffic collision. She was an African American woman who spoke English. Her nickname was the Empress of the Blues. She received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
Synthesized by Vinony from 32 facts across 5 sources: Wikidata, MusicBrainz, Last.fm, TMDb, Vinony collections. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
In the Vinony graph
Bessie Smith is indexed among the 410 entries in Vinony's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame collection.
Within Vinony's link graph, Bessie Smith is referenced by 1,039 other articles, and connects out to Chattanooga, phonograph record and Saint Louis Blues.
It sits within the topics 1892 births, 1937 deaths and 20th-century African-American women singers.
Its subject is documented across 52 Wikipedia language editions.
Film & TV
Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
Bessie Smith was an American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues", she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. 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.
Known for
- The Story Of The Blues — Self (archive footage)2004
- It's Black Entertainment — Self (archive footage)2002
- A Huey P. Newton Story — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)2001
- Blues Masters — Self (archive footage)1999
- Blues Masters - The Essential History of the Blues — Self (archive footage)1993
- Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music — Self (archive footage)1993
- St. Louis Blues — Bessie - Battered Wife1929
via TMDB
Music · MusicBrainz
- Type
- Person
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
- Active from
- 1894
- Active to
- 1937
Discography
- Baby Won’t You Please Come Home Blues / Oh Daddy Blues1923
- Easy Come Easy Go Blues / Frosty Morining Blues1924
- Haunted House Blues / Eavesdropper's Blues1924
- Careless Love Blues / He's Gone Blues1925
- Nashville Women’s Blues / I Ain’t Goin’ to Play Second Fiddle1925
- The St. Louis Blues / Cold in Hand Blues1925
- The Gin House Blues / Lost Your Head Blues1926
- After You've Gone / Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)1927
- Back-Water Blues / Preachin' the Blues1927
- Lock and Key / Trombone Cholly1927
via MusicBrainz · CC0
Listeners · Last.fm
- Listeners
- 366,462
- Total plays
- 2,930,120
Tags
Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists. The 1900 census indicates that Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July 1892. However, the 1910 census recorded her birthday as April 15 <a href="https://w
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Family name
- Smith
- Gender
- female
- Citizenship
- United States
- Place of birth
- Chattanooga
- Place of death
- Clarksdale
- Occupation
- mime artist
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Genre
- classic female blues
- Instrument
- voice
- Record label
- Columbia Records
- Image
- Bessiesmith-2.jpg
Show 13 more facts
- Commons category
- Bessie Smith
- cause of death
- traffic collision
- date of birth
- 1894-04-15
- date of death
- 1937-09-26
- manner of death
- accidental death
- ethnic group
- African Americans
- Commons gallery
- Bessie Smith
- name in native language
- Bessie Smith
- start of work period
- 1912-00-00
- sexual orientation
- bisexuality
- nickname
- Empress of the Blues
- end of work period
- 1937-00-00
- P12749
- Xuzhou
Sources (9)
via Wikidata · CC0
~27 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Bessie Smith (April 15, 1892 – September 26, 1937) 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.
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Smith was young when her parents died, and she and her six siblings survived by performing on street corners. She began touring and performed in a group that included Ma Rainey, and then went out on her own. Her successful recording career with Columbia Records began in 1923, but her performing career was cut short by a car crash that killed her at the age of 45.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Bessie Smith” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.