Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an African-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 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 43. |
Birth and Death Data: Born April 15, 1894 (Chattanooga), Died September 26, 1937 (Clarksdale)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1933
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 151-175 of 191 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | W146896 | 10-in. | 8/25/1928 | Please help me get him off my mind | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with trombone and piano | composer, lyricist, vocalist | |
Columbia | W146897 | 10-in. | 8/25/1928 | Me and my gin | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with trombone and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148485 | 10-in. | 5/8/1929 | I'm wild about that thing | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148486 | 10-in. | 5/8/1929 | You've got to give me some | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148487 | 10-in. | 5/8/1929 | Kitchen man | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148533 | 10-in. | 5/15/1929 | I got what it takes (But it breaks my heart to give it away) | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148534 | 10-in. | 5/15/1929 | Nobody knows you when you're down and out | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148854 | 10-in. | 7/25/1929 | Take it right back ('Cause I don't want it here) | Bessie Smith ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148855 | 10-in. | 7/25/1929 | What makes me love you so? | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148901 | 10-in. | 8/20/1929 | My sportin' man | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148902 | 10-in. | 8/20/1929 | He's got me goin' | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148903 | 10-in. | 8/20/1929 | When my baby comes | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W148904 | 10-in. | 8/20/1929 | It makes my love come down | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | lyricist, composer, vocalist | |
Columbia | W149074 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | Wasted life blues | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | lyricist, composer, vocalist | |
Columbia | W149075 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | Dirty no-gooder's blues | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | composer, lyricist, vocalist | |
Columbia | W149134 | 10-in. | 10/11/1929 | Blue spirit blues | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W149135 | 10-in. | 10/11/1929 | Worn out papa blues | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W149136 | 10-in. | 10/11/1929 | You don't understand | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W149137 | 10-in. | 10/11/1929 | Don't cry, baby | James P. Johnson ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W150131 | 10-in. | 3/27/1930 | Keep it to yourself | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with instrumental quartet | vocalist | |
Columbia | W150132 | 10-in. | 3/27/1930 | New Orleans hop scop blues | Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with instrumental quartet | vocalist | |
Columbia | W150458 | 10-in. | 4/12/1930 | See if I'll care | Charlie Green ; Bessie Smith ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with trombone and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W150459 | 10-in. | 4/12/1930 | Baby, have pity on me | Charlie Green ; Bessie Smith ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with trombone and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W150574 | 10-in. | 6/9/1930 | On revival day | Bessemer Singers ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with male vocal quartet and piano | vocalist | |
Columbia | W150575 | 10-in. | 6/9/1930 | Moan, you mourners | Bessemer Singers ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with male vocal quartet and piano | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Bessie," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104231.
Smith, Bessie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104231.
"Smith, Bessie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Bessie Smith
Discogs: Bessie Smith
Allmusic: Bessie Smith
Apple Music: Bessie Smith
Grove: Bessie Smith
RILM: Bessie Smith
IMDb: Bessie Smith
Britannica: Bessie Smith
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Smith, Bessie, 1894-1937 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83071529
Wikidata: Bessie Smith - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q93349
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/24788472
MusicBrainz: Bessie Smith - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ffa28768-ecda-42c6-ac49-6ce5c7d33043
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