Bessie Smith (1894-1937)
Last updated: 10.06.24
According to the Internet source given below, Bessie Smith was an American blues singer. Nicknamed the Empress of the Blues, she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and was a major influence on other jazz singers. Personal remarks:
In my vinyl collection I have an EP Jazzland (Philips, BBE. 12082) on which she sings I ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle with Louis Armstrong.
| Websites: | |||
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Bessie Smith | Biography by wikipedia.org. | |
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DAHR: Bessie Smith | List of 181 historic recordings from 1923 to 1933. |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
|---|
| Historic Records | ||||
| as Performer | ||||
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Kitchen Man (1929) | E.B. Alexander | B. Smith | Columbia: W148487 |
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Any Woman's Blues (1923) | L. Austin | B. Smith | Columbia: 81283 |
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Chicago Bound Blues (1923) | L. Austin | B. Smith | Columbia: 81391 |
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Down Hearted Blues (1923) | L. Austin | B. Smith | Columbia: 80863 |
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Dyin' by the Hour (1927) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W144918 |
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Far Away Blues (1923) | G. Brooks | B. Smith C. Smith |
Columbia: 81261 |
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Hard Driving Papa (1926) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W142148 |
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Honey Man Blues (1926) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W142875 |
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Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town (1926) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W141819 |
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One and Two Blues (1926) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W142876 |
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Rainy Weather Blues (1924) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: 81907 |
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Salt Water Blues (1924) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: 81893 |
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Send Me to the 'lectric Chair (1927) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W143576 |
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Them's Graveyard Words (1927) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W143583 |
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Trombone Cholly (1927) | G. Brooks | B. Smith | Columbia: W143575 |
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I'm Going Back to My Used-To-Be (1923) | J. Cox | B. Smith C. Smith |
Columbia: 81262 |
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⇑Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (1929) | J. Cox | B. Smith | Columbia: W148534 |
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He's Got Me Goin' (1929) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: W148902 |
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Homeless Blues (1927) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: W144800 |
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Mistreatin' Daddy (1923) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: 81392 |
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Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out There) (1928) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: W145787 |
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Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do (1923) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: 80862 |
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Yes Indeed He Do (1928) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: W146887 |
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You Ought to Be Ashamed (1928) | P. Grainger | B. Smith | Columbia: W146889 |
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Oh, Daddy Blues (1923) | W. Russell | B. Smith | Columbia: 80953 |
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Aggravatin' Papa (1923) | R. Turk | B. Smith | Columbia: 80949 |
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Beale Street Mama (1923) | R. Turk | B. Smith | Columbia: 80950 |
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Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? (1923) | C. Williams | B. Smith | Columbia: 80952 |
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Gulf Coast Blues (1923) | C. Williams | B. Smith | Columbia: 80864 |
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Mama's Got the Blues (1923) | C. Williams | B. Smith | Columbia: 80995 |
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Outside of That (1923) | C. Williams | B. Smith | Columbia: 80996 |
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Keeps on A-Rainin' (1923) | S. Williams | B. Smith | Columbia: 80865 |
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Midnight Blues (1923) | S. Williams | B. Smith | Columbia: 81080 |
| Performer | CD Title | Supplier |
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| Jazz Music CDs: | |||
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Bessie Smith | Bessie Smith 1923-1924 |  |
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Bessie Smith | Bessie Smith 1924-1925 | |
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Chris Barber | The Absolutely Essential 3CD Collection |       |
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Chris Barber | The Very Best of Chris Barber | |
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Monty Sunshine | Remembering Monty Sunshine | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
| Ragtime Music CDs: | |||
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Sue Keller | Wild Women Don't Have The Blues | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
The peformer is featured on 36 sheet music/recording covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m)
ER
| Title | Composer | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
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Kitchen Man (1929) | Edna Belle Alexander | Andy Razaf (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Any Woman's Blues (1923) | Lovie Austin(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Chicago Bound Blues (1923) | Lovie Austin(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Down Hearted Blues (1923) | Lovie Austin | Alberta Hunter (words)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Alexander's Ragtime Band - Song (1911) | Irving Berlin(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Sinful Blues (1924) | Perry Bradford | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Far Away Blues (1923) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) Clara Smith (perf.) |
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Rainy Weather Blues (1924) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Salt Water Blues (1924) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Hard Driving Papa (1926) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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⇑Honey Man Blues (1926) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town (1926) | George Brooks | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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One and Two Blues (1926) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Dyin' by the Hour (1927) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Send Me to the 'lectric Chair (1927) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Them's Graveyard Words (1927) | George Brooks(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Trombone Cholly (1927) | George Brooks | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (1923) | Jimmie Cox(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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I'm Going Back to My Used-To-Be (1923) | Jimmie Cox | Jimmie Cox (words)
Bessie Smith (perf.) Clara Smith (perf.) |
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Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do (1922) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Everett Robbins (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Mistreatin' Daddy (1923) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Bob Ricketts (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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⇑Devil's Gonna Git You, (1928) | Porter Grainger | ||
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Yes Indeed He Do (1928) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Homeless Blues (1927) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out There) (1928) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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You Ought to Be Ashamed (1928) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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He's Got Me Goin' (1929) | Porter Grainger(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Oh, Daddy Blues (1923) | William Russell | Edward Herbert (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Aggravatin' Papa (1922) | Roy Turk(w&m) | J. Russel Robinson (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Beale Street Mama (1923) | Roy Turk(w&m) | J. Russel Robinson (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? (1919) | Clarence Williams | Charles Warfield (words)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Gulf Coast Blues (1923) | Clarence Williams(w&m) | Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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⇑Mama's Got the Blues (1923) | Clarence Williams(w&m) | Sara Martin (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Outside of That (1923) | Clarence Williams(w&m) | Jo Trent (words)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Midnight Blues (1923) | Spencer Williams | Babe Thompson (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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Keeps on A-Rainin' (1923) | Spencer Williams(w&m) | Max Kortlander (co-author)
Bessie Smith (perf.) |
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This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 14 works by Bessie Smith (1894-1937).
It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located.
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Any Woman's Blues | 1923 | |
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| Down Hearted Blues | 1923 | |
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| Jailhouse Blues | 1923 | |
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| Yellow Dog Blues, The | 1925 | |
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| Black Water Blues | 1927 | |
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| Bleeding Hearted Blues | 1927 | |
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| Trombone Cholly | 1927 | |
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| Poor Man's Blues | 1928 | |
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| Blue Spirit Blues | 1929 | |
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| Wasted Life Blues | 1929 | James Price Johnson (co-author) | |
| New Orleans Hop Scop Blues | 1930 | |
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| ⇑ Baby Doll | ? | ||
| It Makes My Love Come Down | ? | Don Raye (words) | |
| Young Woman's Blues | ? |
| Composer | Title | Performer |
|---|
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I. Berlin | Alexander's Ragtime Band (Bessie Smith) (3:00) | B. Smith |
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P. Grainger | Devil's Gonna Git You (1928) (3:11) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Blue Spirit Blues (2:57) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Any Woman's Blues (3:24) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Jailhouse Blues (3:17) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Trombone Cholly (3:22) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | The Yellow Dog Blues (3:06) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Bleeding Hearted Blues (3:07) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Down Hearted Blues (3:26) | B. Smith |
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⇑B. Smith | Poor Man's Blues (3:28) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | New Orleans Hop Scop Blues (3:02) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Black Water Blues (3:19) | B. Smith |
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B. Smith | Wasted Life Blues (3:09) | B. Smith |