Bessie Smith

The Profile

Bessie Smith was an American blues singer from Chattanooga, Tennessee, celebrated as the “Empress of the Blues.” She rose to fame in the 1920s with Columbia Records, shaping vocal blues with landmark recordings and collaborations, including work with Louis Armstrong. She died in 1937 following an automobile accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Nicknamed the “Empress of the Blues.” Major 1923 hit “Downhearted Blues”; recorded extensively for Columbia Records (1923–1933). Collaborated with Louis Armstrong and influenced Billie Holiday, Etta James, and Janis Joplin. Appeared in the 1929 short film “St. Louis Blues.” Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Early Influence) and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

A glowing review crowns Bessie Smith as a defining voice of 1920s blues and jazz. It spotlights key recordings like Downhearted Blues, St. Louis Blues, and Gimme a Pigfoot. The piece notes her 1913 beginnings, her Columbia breakthrough in 1923, and her influence on Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, and others. It also touches on the Depression’s impact and her death in 1937.