Resource id #75
Image Source: Wikipedia

Bessie Brown

Bessie Brown (1890–1955) also known as "The Original" Bessie Brown, was an American classic female blues, jazz, and cabaret singer. She sometimes recorded under the pseudonyms Sadie Green, Caroline Lee, and possibly Helen Richards. Brown was active as a recording artist from 1925 to 1929.

She should not be confused (although often is in biographies and discographies) with the Bessie Brown who recorded vaudeville and blues-styled duets with George W. Williams, over a similar timespan.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1895 (Cleveland), Died 1955 (Cleveland)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, songwriter, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 81157 10-in. 8/2/1923 Satisfied blues Bessie Brown ; Fletcher Henderson ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81158 10-in. 8/2/1923 Double crossin' daddy Bessie Brown ; Fletcher Henderson ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81292 10-in. 10/25/1923 You need some loving Bessie Brown ; Fletcher Henderson ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81293 10-in. 10/25/1923 Wish I had you (and I'm gonna get you blues) Bessie Brown ; Fletcher Henderson ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81341 10-in. 11/9/1923 You can't do what my last man did Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81342 10-in. 11/9/1923 If Mamma quits Papa, what will Papa do Bessie Brown ; Fletcher Henderson ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81347 10-in. 11/10/1923 He's never gonna throw me down Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81348 10-in. 11/10/1923 Papa don't you mean your mamma no good Bessie Brown ; Fletcher Henderson ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81538 10-in. 2/8/1924 You ain't quittin' me without two weeks notice Alexander Brown ; Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81540 10-in. 2/8/1924 It takes a brownskin man to make a high yellow blue Alexander Brown ; Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet, with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81543 10-in. 2/8/1924 He's never gonna throw me down Alexander Brown ; Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia 81847 10-in. 6/27/1924 No second handed lovin' for mine Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with cornet and piano vocalist  
Columbia 81848 10-in. 6/27/1924 If you hit my dog I'll kick your cat Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with cornet and piano vocalist  
Columbia 81855 10-in. 6/30/1924 I'm tired of begging you to treat me right George W. Williams Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with alto saxophone and piano songwriter  
Columbia 81861 10-in. 7/3/1924 How can I get it, when you keep on snatchin' it back? Alabama Joe ; Bessie Brown Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar vocalist  
Columbia 81862 10-in. 7/3/1924 Hoodoo blues Alabama Joe ; Bessie Brown Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar vocalist  
Columbia 81887 10-in. 7/29/1924 I can do what you do Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with cornet, trombone, and piano vocalist  
Columbia 81888 10-in. 7/29/1924 When I get the devil in me Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with cornet and piano vocalist  
Columbia 81890 10-in. 7/29/1924 My right man Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia 81916 10-in. 8/19/1924 Mississippi Delta blues Bessie Brown Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with tenor saxophone and piano vocalist  
Columbia 81917 10-in. 8/15/1924 When you go huntin', I'm goin' fishin' Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with cornet, trombone, and piano vocalist  
Columbia 81924 10-in. 8/19/1924 Pork chop blues Bessie Brown Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with tenor saxophone and piano vocalist  
Columbia 140396 10-in. 2/26/1925 Will you love me while you're gone? Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with clarinet and piano vocalist  
Columbia W140405 10-in. 2/28/1925 Scat! Mister Sweetback Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
Columbia W140406 10-in. 2/28/1925 Bald-headed mamma blues Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brown, Bessie," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100487.

Brown, Bessie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100487.

"Brown, Bessie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100487

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.