Who was nicknamed "The Empress of the Blues" of the 1920s and 1930s?
Bessie Smith was an American blues singe, well-known as The Empress of the Blues.
Bessie was the most famous and recognized female blues artist of the second & third decades of the 20th century. She is considered to be one of the most influential singers of her times. Together with Louis Armstrong she made a great contribution to the jazz culture.
She often worked with other greatest musicians of those times, such as Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Charlie Green etc.
What are your thoughts on this subject?
27 Comments
anthonygriffin
The 2015 "HBO" movie titled "Bessie" starring Actress/Producer/Rapper Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith & Actress/Comedienne Mo'Nique as Ma Rainey is quite the life story about Bessie "The Empress Of The Blues" Smith's rise & fall from Fame.
Sarah Hearn-vonFoerster
Those were classic musicians, and they will live on in their music. More than I can say for what passes for pop music today. As long as it passes fast.
Omar Mung
Most people got this one wrong and I’m one of them.
Cheryl Love
jerry aj, before most of our time.
elizawheeler
Blues has always been my favorite genre of music. My favorite female blues singer is Koko Taylor. What a great and emotional voice.
Jas Newman
"Bessie was the most famous and recognized female blues artist of the second & third decades of the 20th century."—Maybe this should be "the third and fourth decades."
Char
Before my time not my music so...
Pat Wells
So many great talents who lived in different eras; sad that we didn't get to know their music while they were alive.
Lupe Hernandez
Richard G Schwartz, Queen Latifah DID make a TV movie of the life of Bessie Smith in 2015.
Richard D. Boyle
Great question. Even better options.
Camilla Prosser
I loved Billie Holiday's music!
Bad Nora
Jerry Kimball, maybe you had to walk through fire to get the title.
Howard Groopman
All good choices, for a change.
Richard G Schwartz
Queen Latifah tried to make a film about her for many years.
Janie Neugent
got it right lucky guess
melissa ps
Steve McVey, I'm with Jerry Kimball. Call us pedants if you will, but would YOU rather be called a "singer" or a "burn"? If I were being truly pedantic, I would point out that in French, "singe" means "monkey".
Kathryn A. Cobb
I remembered this