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Elizabeth "Bessie" Smith, nada en Chattanooga (Tennessee) o 15 de abril de 1894 e finada en Clarksdale (Mississippi) o 26 de setembro de 1937, foi unha cantante estadounidense de blues urbano, famosa nas décadas de 1920 1930[1]. Era coñecida como a Emperatriz do blues.
_by_Carl_Van_Vechten.jpg) (1936)  | |
| Biografía | |
|---|---|
| Nacemento | 15 de abril de 1894 Chattanooga, Estados Unidos de América (pt)  |
| Morte | 26 de setembro de 1937 (43 anos) Clarksdale, Estados Unidos de América (en) |
| Causa da morte | morte accidental, accidente de tráfico |
| Lugar de sepultura | Mount Lawn Cemetery (en) |
| Grupo étnico | Afroamericano |
| Actividade | |
| Ocupación | artista urbana, bailarina, cantante, música, mimo |
| Período de actividade | 1912 - 1937 |
| Xénero artístico | Blues e Jazz |
| Instrumento | Voz |
| Selo discográfico | Columbia Records |
| Premios | |
| |
| Descrito pola fonte | Obálky knih,  Notable Black American Women Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians (en) |
               | |
O primeiro emprego de Smith foi de bailarina na compañía Moses Stokes nun espectáculo no que tamén traballaba Ma Rainey, quen non lle ensinou a cantar, pero que probablemente lle axudou a desenvolverse nos seus comezos. En 1912, o seu irmán Clarence conseguiulle o seu primeiro contrato como profesional.
Smith comezou a desenvolver o seu propio espectáculo ao redor de 1913, no teatro "81" de Atlanta. En 1917 foi descuberta nun club de Selma (Alabama) por Frank Walker (da discográfica Columbia) e en 1920 conseguira gañar unha reputación no sur e ao longo de todo o litoral leste dos Estados Unidos.
En 1923, cando o blues comeza a vender discos, asinou coa Columbia Records, e rapidamente trazou a liña da Theater Owners Bookers Association. A súa primeira gravación foi "DownHearted Blues", gravada en Nova York en febreiro de 1923, unha canción escrita e rexistrada previamente por Alberta Hunter. Ese mesmo ano grava tamén Jailhouse Blues, disco que, en certo sentido, "sinala a aparición do blues clásico".[2]
Traballando duramente no teatro durante os meses de inverno e viaxando o resto do ano (tiña o seu propio vagón de ferrocarril), Smith chegou a ser a actriz negra mellor paga do seu tempo. Realizou gravacións xunto aos artistas máis importantes do momento, como Louis Armstrong, James P. Johnson, Joe Smith, ou Fletcher Henderson.
Con Louis Armstrong gravou o tema "St. Louis Blues", que "constitúe o epítome do blues clásico e destaca polo extraordinario equilibrio existente entre a interpretación vocal e o só de corneta".[2]
De carácter forte, levou unha vida tormentosa e dilapidou a súa fortuna en homes, mulleres e xenebra. As súas cancións reflectían ese estilo de vida e esa muller que perdeu o contrato da súa vida porque tiña que cuspir e que botou os membros do Ku Klux Klan que viñan boicotear un concerto seu. Morreu dun accidente de tráfico, segundo a lenda porque non a aceptaron nun hospital para brancos.
Nos Estados Unidos non existiu ningunha lista de éxitos discográficos a nivel nacional até 1936. A listaxe que aquí se presenta compilouna con posterioridade o historiador da música Joel Whitburn.
| Ano | Single | US
Pop |
|---|---|---|
| 1923 | "Downhearted Blues" | 1 |
| "Gulf Coast Blues" | 5 | |
| "Aggravatin' Papa" | 12 | |
| "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" | 6 | |
| "T'ain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do" | 9 | |
| 1925 | "The St. Louis Blues" | 3 |
| "Careless Love Blues" | 5 | |
| "I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle" | 8 | |
| 1926 | "I Ain't Got Nobody" | 8 |
| "Lost Your Head Blues" | 5 | |
| 1927 | "After You've Gone" | 7 |
| "Alexander's Ragtime Band" | 17 | |
| 1928 | "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" | 13 |
| "Empty Bed Blues" | 20 | |
| 1929 | "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" | 15 |
| A-3844 | "Gulf Coast Blues" | 1923-02-16 |
| A-3844 | "Down Hearted Blues" | 1923-02-16 |
| A-3877 | "Aggravatin' Papa" | 1923-04-11 |
| A-3877 | "Beale Street Mama" | 1923-04-11 |
| A-3888 | "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" | 1923-04-11 |
| A-3888 | "Oh Daddy Blues" | 1923-04-11 |
| A-3898 | "Keeps on A Rainin All Time" | 1923-02-16 |
| A-3898 | "Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do" | 1923-04-26 |
| A-3900 | "Outside of That" | 1923-04-30 |
| A-3900 | "Mama's Got the Blues" | 1923-04-30 |
| A-3936 | "Bleeding Hearted Blues" | 1923-06-14 |
| A-3936 | "Midnight Blues" | 1923-06-15 |
| A-3939 | "Yodeling Blues" | 1923-06-14 |
| A-3939 | "Lady Luck Blues" | 1923-06-14 |
| A-3942 | "If You Don't, I Know Who Will" | 1923-06-21 |
| A-3942 | "Nobody in Town Can Bake a Jelly Roll Like My Man" | 1923-06-22 |
| A-4001 | "Jail House Blues" | 1923-09-21 |
| A-4001 | "Graveyard Dream Blues" | 1923-09-26 |
| 13000 D | "Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time" | 1923-10-24 |
| 13000 D | "My Sweetie Went Away" | 1923-10-24 |
| 13001 D | "Cemetery Blues" | 1923-09-26 |
| 13001 D | "Any Woman's Blues" | 1923-10-16 |
| 13005 D | "St Louis Gal" | 1923-09-24 |
| 13005 D | "Sam Jones' Blues" | 1923-09-24 |
| 13007 D | "I'm Going Back to My Used to Be" | 1923-10-04 |
| 13007 D | "Far Away Blues" | 1923-10-04 |
| 14000 D | "Mistreatin' Daddy" | 1923-12-04 |
| 14000 D | "Chicago Bound Blues" | 1923-12-04 |
| 14005 D | "Frosty Mornin' Blues" | 1924-01-08 |
| 14005 D | "Easy Come Easy Go Blues" | 1924-01-10 |
| 14010 D | "Eavesdropper Blues" | 1924-01-09 |
| 14010 D | "Haunted House Blues" | 1924-01-09 |
| 14018 D | "Boweavil Blues" | 1924-04-07 |
| 14018 D | "Moonshine Blues" | 1924-04-09 |
| 14020 D | "Sorrowful Blues" | 1924-04-04 |
| 14020 D | "Rocking Chair Blues" | 1924-04-04 |
| 14023 D | "Frankie Blues" | 1924-04-08 |
| 14023 D | "Hateful Blues" | 1924-04-08 |
| 14025 D | "Pinchbacks, Take 'em Away" | 1924-04-04 |
| 14025 D | "Ticket Agent Easy Your Window Down" | 1924-04-05 |
| 14031 D | "Louisiana Low Down Blues" | 1924-07-22 |
| 14031 D | "Mountain Top Blues" | 1924-07-22 |
| 14032 D | "House Rent Blues" | 1924-07-23 |
| 14032 D | "Work House Blues" | 1924-07-23 |
| 14037 D | "Rainy Weather Blues" | 1924-08-08 |
| 14037 D | "Salt Water Blues" | 1924-07-31 |
| 14042 D | "Bye Bye Blues" | 1924-09-26 |
| 14042 D | "Weeping Willow Blues" | 1924-09-26 |
| 14051 D | "Dying Gambler's Blues" | 1924-12-06 |
| 14051 D | "Sing Sing Prison Blues" | 1924-12-06 |
| 14052 D | "Follow the Deal on Down" | 1924-12-04 |
| 14052 D | "Sinful Blues" | 1924-11-11 |
| 14056 D | "Reckless Blues" | 1925-01-14 |
| 14056 D | "Sobbin' Hearted Blues" | 1925-01-14 |
| 14060 D | "Love Me Daddy Blues" | 1924-12-12 |
| 14060 D | "Woman's Trouble Blues" | 1924-12-12 |
| 14064 D | "Cold in Hand Blues" | 1925-01-14 |
| 14064 D | "St Louis Blues" | 1925-01-14 |
| 14075 D | "Yellow Dog Blues" | 1925-05-06 |
| 14075 D | "Soft Pedal Blues" | 1925-05-14 |
| 14079 D | "Dixie Flyer Blues" | 1925-05-15 |
| 14079 D | "You've Been a Good Ole Wagon" | 1925-01-14 |
| 14083 D | "Careless Love" | 1925-05-26 |
| 14083 D | "He's Gone Blues" | 1925-06-23 |
| 14090 D | "I Ain't Goin' to Play No Second Fiddle" | 1925-05-27 |
| 14090 D | "Nashville Women's Blues" | 1925-05-27 |
| 14095 D | "I Ain't Got Nobody" | 1925-08-19 |
| 14095 D | "J.C.Holmes Blues" | 1925-05-27 |
| 14098 D | "My Man Blues" | 1925-09-01 |
| 14098 D | "Nobody's Blues but Mine" | 1925-08-19 |
| 14109 D | "Florida Bound Blues" | 1925-11-17 |
| 14109 D | "New Gulf Coast Blues" | 1925-11-17 |
| 14115 D | "I've Been Mistreated and I Don't Like It" | 1925-11-18 |
| 14115 D | "Red Mountain Blues" | 1925-11-20 |
| 14123 D | "Lonesome Desert Blues" | 1925-12-09 |
| 14123 D | "Golden Rule Blues" | 1925-11-20 |
| 14129 D | "What's the Matter Now?" | 1926-03-05 |
| 14129 D | "I Want Every Bit of It" | 1926-03-05 |
| 14133 D | "Jazzbo Brown from Memphis Town" | 1926-03-18 |
| 14133 D | "Squeeze Me" | 1926-03-05 |
| 14137 D | "Hard Driving Papa" | 1926-05-40 |
| 14137 D | "Money Blues" | 1926-05-04 |
| 14147 D | "Baby Doll" | 1926-05-04 |
| 14147 D | "Them Has Been Blues" | 1926-03-05 |
| 14158 D | "Lost Your Head Blues" | 1926-05-04 |
| 14158 D | "Gin House Blues" | 1926-03-18 |
| 14172 D | "One and Two Blues" | 1926-10-26 |
| 14172 D | "Honey Man Blues" | 1926-10-25 |
| 14179 D | "Hard Time Blues" | 1926-10-25 |
| 14179 D | "Young Woman's Blues" | 1926-10-26 |
| 14195 D | "Back Water Blues" | 1927-02-17 |
| 14195 D | "Preachin' the Blues" | 1927-02-17 |
| 14197 D | "Muddy Water" | 1927-03-02 |
| 14197 D | "After You've Gone" | 1927-03-02 |
| 14209 D | "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair" | 1927-03-03 |
| 14209 D | "Them's Graveyard Words" | 1927-03-03 |
| 14219 D | "There'll Be a Hot Time in Old Town Tonight" | 1927-03-02 |
| 14219 D | "Alexander's Ragtime Band" | 1927-03-02 |
| 14232 D | "Trombone Cholly" | 1927-03-03 |
| 14232 D | "Lock and Key Blues" | 1927-04-01 |
| 14250 D | "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" | 1927-09-27 |
| 14250 D | "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues" | 1927-09-27 |
| 14260 D | "Sweet Mistreater" | 1927-04-01 |
| 14260 D | "Homeless Blues" | 1927-09-28 |
| 14273 D | "Dyin' by The Hour" | 1927-10-27 |
| 14273 D | "Foolish Man Blues" | 1927-10-27 |
| 14292 D | "I Used to Be Your Sweet Mama" | 1928-02-09 |
| 14292 D | "Thinking Blues" | 1928-02-09 |
| 14304 D | "I'd Rather be Dead and Buried in my Grave" | 1928-06-16 |
| 14304 D | "Pickpocket Blues" | 1928-02-09 |
| 14312 D | "Empty Bed Blues Pt1" | 1928-03-20 |
| 14312 D | "Empty Bed Blues Pt2" | 1928-03-20 |
| 14324 D | "Put It Right Here" | 1928-03-20 |
| 14324 D | "Spider Man Blues" | 1928-03-19 |
| 14338 D | "It Won't Be You" | 1928-02-12 |
| 14338 D | "Standin' in The Rain Blues" | 1928-02-12 |
| 14354 D | "Devil's Gonna Git You" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14354 D | "Yes Indeed He Do" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14375 D | "Washwoman's Blues" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14375 D | "Please Help Me Get Him Off My Mind" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14384 D | "Me and My Gin" | 1928-08-25 |
| 14384 D | "Slow and Easy Man" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14399 D | "Poor Man's Blues" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14399 D | "You Ought to be Ashamed" | 1928-08-24 |
| 14427 D | "You've Got to Give Me Some" | 1929-05-08 |
| 14427 D | "I'm Wild About that Thing" | 1929-05-08 |
| 14435 D | "My Kitchen Man" | 1929-05-08 |
| 14435 D | "I've Got What It Takes" | 1929-05-15 |
| 14451 D | "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" | 1929-05-15 |
| 14451 D | "Take It Right Back" | 1929-07-25 |
| 14464 D | "It Makes My Love Come Down" | 1929-08-20 |
| 14464 D | "He's Got Me Goin'" | 1929-08-20 |
| 14476 D | "Dirty No Gooder's Blues" | 1929-10-01 |
| 14476 D | "Wasted Life Blues" | 1929-10-01 |
| 14487 D | "Don't Cry Baby" | 1929-10-11 |
| 14487 D | "You Don't Understand" | 1929-10-11 |
| 14516 D | "New Orleans Hop Scop Blues" | 1930-03-27 |
| 14516 D | "Keep It to Yourself" | 1930-03-27 |
| 14527 D | "Blue Spirit Blues" | 1929-10-11 |
| 14527 D | "Worn out Papa Blues" | 1929-10-11 |
| 14538 D | "Moan Mourners" | 1930-06-09 |
| 14538 D | "On Revival Day" | 1930-06-09 |
| 14554 D | "Hustlin' Dan" | 1930-07-22 |
| 14554 D | "Black Mountain Blues" | 1930-07-22 |
| 14569 D | "Hot Springs Blues" | 1927-03-03 |
| 14569 D | "Lookin' for My Man Blues" | 1927-09-28 |
| 14611 D | "In the House Blues" | 1931-06-11 |
| 14611 D | "Blue Blues" | 1931-06-11 |
| 14634 D | "Safety Mama" | 1931-11-20 |
| 14634 D | "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl" | 1931-11-20 |
| 14663 D | "Long Old Road" | 1931-06-11 |
| 14663 D | "Shipwreck Blues" | 1931-06-11 |
| 8945 | "I'm Down in the Dumps" | 1933-11-24 |
| 8945 | "Do Your Duty" | 1933-11-24 |
| 8949 | "Take Me for a Buggy Ride" | 1933-11-24 |
| 8949 | "Gimme a Pigfoot (and a Bottle of Beer)" | 1933-11-24 |
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