Bessie Smith (Background information from textbook)
Bessie Smith was a female blues singer, she was perhaps the outstanding vocalist of the decade. She recorded on black-oriented labels produced by the major record companies. She achieved enormous popularity and in 1927 became the highest paid black artist in the world.
Bessie Smirth
Bessie Smith was born on April 15, 1894. She passed away on September 26, 1937. She was an American blues singer.
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 subsequent jazz vocalists.
There is a lot of misconception about Bessie, her life, and her family. Some records show that she was born in the year 1900, however, on all records, here birthday remains April 15th, 1894. She is also believed to have several half brothers.
One thing remains unchanged however; she was the most highly paid, renowned, and famous African American female singer during the 1920's and 30's. Her fame and status can be compared to that of Louis Armstrong, (perhaps the greatest jazz musician of all time).
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 subsequent jazz vocalists.
There is a lot of misconception about Bessie, her life, and her family. Some records show that she was born in the year 1900, however, on all records, here birthday remains April 15th, 1894. She is also believed to have several half brothers.
One thing remains unchanged however; she was the most highly paid, renowned, and famous African American female singer during the 1920's and 30's. Her fame and status can be compared to that of Louis Armstrong, (perhaps the greatest jazz musician of all time).
Bessie's Early Life
Bessie Smith was born into poverty in Chattanooga, Tennessee, one of seven children of William and Laura Smith. Her father was a Baptist minister and a laborer. Her father died soon after her birth and her mother and two of her brothers died by the time she was eight or nine. An unmarried aunt raised her and her siblings. Smith realized that she had an unusual voice and sang for money on street corners at an early age, accompanied on guitar by Andrew, her younger brother.
At age eighteen Bessie worked with the Moses Stokes traveling minstrel show, and later with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels under Gertrude "Ma" Rainey. The minstrel show (a show based on African American music and humor) circuit was a difficult life. Late hours, low pay, gambling, fighting, and abusing alcohol and drugs were commonplace. But Smith's voice was remarkable, filling the largest hall with her beautiful voice and reaching out to each listener in beautiful, earthy tones.
In 1923 Smith's big break came when she was discovered by Columbia Records. Frank Walker handled her recording contract from 1923 through 1931 and helped launch her successful career of 160 titles.
Smith purchased a custom-designed railroad car for herself and her troupe in 1925. This allowed her to bypass some of the dispiriting (negative) effects of the racism found in both northern and southern states. She traveled with her own tent show or with the Theater Owners' Booking Association (TOBA) shows, commanding a weekly salary that peaked at two thousand dollars.
At age eighteen Bessie worked with the Moses Stokes traveling minstrel show, and later with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels under Gertrude "Ma" Rainey. The minstrel show (a show based on African American music and humor) circuit was a difficult life. Late hours, low pay, gambling, fighting, and abusing alcohol and drugs were commonplace. But Smith's voice was remarkable, filling the largest hall with her beautiful voice and reaching out to each listener in beautiful, earthy tones.
In 1923 Smith's big break came when she was discovered by Columbia Records. Frank Walker handled her recording contract from 1923 through 1931 and helped launch her successful career of 160 titles.
Smith purchased a custom-designed railroad car for herself and her troupe in 1925. This allowed her to bypass some of the dispiriting (negative) effects of the racism found in both northern and southern states. She traveled with her own tent show or with the Theater Owners' Booking Association (TOBA) shows, commanding a weekly salary that peaked at two thousand dollars.
Bessie Smith's Career
Smith was gifted with a powerfully strong voice that recorded very well from her first record, made during the time when recordings were made acoustically. With the coming of electrical recording (circa 1925), the sheer power of her voice was even more evident.
Malissa Steward (a woman attending one of Bessie's performance's) says: "Her voice is truly a gift. I'm sure I can speak for myself as well as many others when I say she is one of a kind."
She made 160 recordings for Columbia, often accompanied by the finest musicians of the day, most notably Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Joe Smith, and Charlie Green.
Malissa Steward (a woman attending one of Bessie's performance's) says: "Her voice is truly a gift. I'm sure I can speak for myself as well as many others when I say she is one of a kind."
She made 160 recordings for Columbia, often accompanied by the finest musicians of the day, most notably Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Joe Smith, and Charlie Green.
Singing the blues
As the popularity of Smith's records grew, her touring schedule grew. As she traveled from her home base of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, throughout the United States, adoring crowds greeted her at each stop. In spite of Smith's commercial success, her personal life was very similar to the blues she sang. Her marriage to Jack Gee was stormy and ended in a bitter separation in 1929. Smith was also struggling to battle liquor.
Smith's popularity as a recording artist crested around 1929. Then the combination of radio, talking pictures, and the Great Depression undermined the entire recording industry. The price she would demand dipped and she was forced to sell her railroad car.
Smith's popularity as a recording artist crested around 1929. Then the combination of radio, talking pictures, and the Great Depression undermined the entire recording industry. The price she would demand dipped and she was forced to sell her railroad car.