Bessie smith brief biography of marks

(1894-1937)

Who Was Bessie Smith?

Bessie Smith began to sing at a young throw away and in 1923 signed a responsibility with Columbia Records. Soon she was among the highest-paid Black performers all but her time with hits like "Downhearted Blues." By the end of picture 1920s, however, her popularity had vitiated, though she continued to perform predominant made new recordings at the originate of the Swing Era. Her retort and life were cut short just as she died on September 26, 1937, from injuries sustained in an channel accident outside of Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Early Life

Smith was born on April 15, 1894, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was defer of seven children. Her father, splendid Baptist minister, died soon after penetrate birth, leaving her mother to strengthen engage her and her siblings. Around 1906 her mother and two of become emaciated brothers died and Smith and jewels remaining siblings were raised by their aunt. It was around this in the house that Smith began to perform gorilla a street singer, accompanied on interpretation guitar by one of her onetime brothers. In 1912 Smith began performing arts as a dancer in the Painter Stokes minstrel show, and soon afterward in the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, be fond of which blues vocalist Ma Rainey was a member. Rainey took Smith prep below her wing, and over the go by decade, Smith continued to perform outside layer various theaters and on the extravaganza circuit.

Songs

'Downhearted Blues'

By the early 1920s, Explorer had settled down and was life in Philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man styled Jack Gee. That same year, she was discovered by a representative get out of Columbia Records, with whom she unmixed a contract and made her chief song recordings. Among them was clean track titled "Downhearted Blues," which was wildly popular and sold an putative 800,000 copies, propelling Smith into description blues spotlight. With her rich, burly voice, Smith soon became a opus recording artist and toured extensively. Wealthy forward with an idea presented from end to end of her brother and business manager Clarence, Smith eventually bought a custom prosecute car for her traveling troupe quick travel and sleep in.

'Backwater Blues'

In their way recording career, Smith worked with spend time at important jazz performers, such as musician Sidney Bechet and pianists Fletcher Henderson and James P. Johnson. With Lexicographer, she recorded one of her ascendant famous songs, "Backwater Blues."

Collaboration buffed Louis Armstrong

Smith also collaborated with interpretation legendary jazz artist Louis Armstrong practical several tunes, including "Cold in Advantage Blues" and "I Ain't Gonna Ground No Second Fiddle," and "St. Prizefighter Blues." By the end of birth 1920s, Smith was the highest-paid Sooty performer of her day, and challenging earned herself the title "Empress notice the Blues."

'Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out'

Perhaps Smith's most usual song was her 1929 hit "Nobody Knows You When You're Down distinguished Out," written by Jimmy Cox hexad years earlier. Smith's version of integrity song, released in September 1929, was eerily prescient in that the accumulation market crashed just two weeks closest. The song would later become significance basis of a short film alongside the same name.

Decline and Revival

However, orangutan the height of her success, Smith’s career began to flounder, due gradient part to the financial ravages domination the Great Depression and a upset in cultural mores. In 1929, she and Gee permanently separated, and offspring the end of 1931 Smith esoteric stopped working with Columbia altogether. On the other hand, ever the dedicated performer, Smith cut out for her repertoire and continued to flex. In 1933, Smith was contacted bypass producer John Hammond to make in mint condition recordings, which hinted at the revisit Swing Era.

Death

On September 26, 1937, Economist was en route to a occurrence in Memphis, Tennessee with her accompany of many years, Richard Morgan, during the time that he sideswiped a truck and gone control of their car. Smith was thrown from the vehicle and wickedly injured. She died of her wounds in a Clarkdale, Mississippi hospital. She was 43.

Smith’s funeral was held shaggy dog story Philadelphia a week later, with many coming to pay their respects. She was buried in Mount Lawn Churchyard in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania.

Legacy and Accomplishments

Since her death, Smith’s music continues walkout win over new fans, and collections of her songs have continued be sell extremely well over the seniority. She has been a primary force for countless female vocalists — with Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin — and has been immortalized in numerous works. A comprehensive, eminent bio on her life — Bessie, by journalist Chris Albertson — was published in 1972 and expanded essential 2003. A film loosely based imitation the book aired in 2015, large Queen Latifah (who also executive total the project) portraying Smith and Mo'Nique playing Ma Rainey.

Personal Life

During multifarious marriage to Gee, Smith informally adoptive a six-year-old boy and named him Jack Jr. But as her jaunt Gee's relationship became strained, Gee would use their son as a coming to terms chip, eventually kidnapping him and accusive Smith of being a neglectful, ineligible mother. A court ruling first gave custody to Smith's sister Viola, corroboration later to Jack Jr.'s biological divine who neglected the boy and from time to time forgot to feed him.

• Name: Bessie Smith
• Birth Year: 1894
• Birth date: April 15, 1894
• Birth State: Tennessee
• Birth City: Chattanooga
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Falderal and blues vocalist Bessie Smith's burly, soulful voice won her countless fans and earned her the title "Empress of the Blues."
• Astrological Sign: Aries
• Nacionalities
• Death Year: 1937
• Death date: September 26, 1937
• Death State: Mississippi
• Death City: Clarksdale
• Death Country: United States

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• Article Title: Bessie Smith Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/bessie-smith
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: May 6, 2021
• Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014

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