Empress of the Blues Bessie Smith born 125 years ago today

The most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s, Bessie Smith died from injuries in a car accident in 1937, at age 43. Her grave remained unmarked until 1970 when singer Janis Joplin helped pay for a marker. We're featuring the Empress of the Blues on these channels.

Ladies Sing the Blues

Hear Bessie Smith and more female blues vocalists, classic and contemporary

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