Journal 2 – The Empress of the Blues
Read the article about Bessie Smith, “The Empress of the Blues”, from The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader by David Brackett.
Reflect and write about two or three interesting sentences or ideas that “gave you pause” or food for thought.
Bessie Smith, a young black woman whose voice was heard by the promoter Frank Waller, in a place where African American voices could be heard without prejudice. She possessed an extremely powerful voice that required no amplification. Bessie Smith incorporated conventional blues and harmonic patterns into her singing and also incorporated devices from contemporary song. Bessie was in a car crash in Mississippi where in the south at that time an African Americans life was not important, so tragically that day, Ms. Smith lost her life, but her legacy still lives on today.
A couple of sentences that stood out to me were, “If you had any church background, like people who came from the South as I did, you would recognize a similarity between what she was doing and what those preachers and evangelists from there did, and how they moved people.” and “She could bring about mass hypnotism.” said by Danny Barker.
This told me that her singing had a “divine” nature. Her voice was so powerful along with the emotion she displayed, that it would leave her audience basking in its beauty with no possible interruptions. All eyes and ears were on her performance at all times.
The first sentence that stood out to me was “She could bring about mass hypnotism.” said by Danny Barker. I believe this stood out as I feel that blues music is very hypnotic, it is almost haunting but beautiful. It feels like every beat has a story and the story is being told in such a hypnotic way.
The second sentence that stood out to me was “That was how the lonesome road ended up for the greatest folk singer this country ever heard—with Jim Crow directing the traffic.” said by Mezz Mezzrow. This is such a powerful and profoundly sad sentence. It’s awful to think that she could have potentially lived a longer life had the first hospital she was transported to after her car accident not have discriminated against her and sent her away.
“She was blues from the time she got up in the morning until she went to bed at night.”
“That was how the lonesome road ended up for the greatest folk singer this country ever heard—with Jim Crow directing the traffic.”
“Nobody, least of all today, could ever match Bessie Smith.”
Forgot to explain why I chose these quotes.
“She was blues from the time she got up in the morning until she went to bed at night.”
– She wasn’t just a great blues singer; her whole life, she lived the blues. I think that’s how the best artists are created, their whole lives are reflected by the music they make.
“That was how the lonesome road ended up for the greatest folk singer this country ever heard—with Jim Crow directing the traffic.”
– It’s really tragic that she died because the hospitals wouldn’t take her because of her skin color. It’s a disgrace to the Hippocratic Oath.
“Nobody, least of all today, could ever match Bessie Smith.”
– She must have been really talented since nobody back in the height of the blues could match her singing.
In this article it talks about Bessie Smith’s influence. “Her influence on subsequent female blues, jazz, and rock singers was strong and was felt by everyone from Billie Holiday to Dinah Washington to Janis Joplin.” Even with as long as I have been into music, it still amazes me how a black woman from a time that was not known for its hospitality to black folks, has this much influence on three different genres of music. A woman who gave of herself for others. As Frank Walker says, “Yes, Bessie had a heart as big as all outdoors, but she gave it all away.” Bessie Smith was a giver, and she died too young, all because her skin was a different color. Bessie Smith was in an auto accident and needed immediate medical service. “They brought her to the hospital but it seemed like there wasn’t any room for her just then – the people around there didn’t care for the color of her skin.” I can’t fathom how a doctor, someone who takes an oath to uphold and value life, could willingly turn away someone who was on the verge of death.
Bessie, just like any other good story ever told, was an underdog. She was one of the first and best at what she did. The fact that there were multiple examples of her skill in improvisation while making music was fascinating. Not only that, but for being a woman not of the public’s attraction and still making an impact on Vaudeville is inspiring.
One interesting idea I read in the PDF was “it all came out in her singing. Almost all of the blues she sang told sort of a story”. The moment I read Bessie Smith at the top of the PDF, I immediately started listening to her. And the second I read this line, it became incredibly apparent to me that they were without a doubt telling the truth. The sheer energy in her voice is immaculate and her phrasing is quite amazing. Anyway bringing it back, I read that, and listened to Bessie, and it felt like a lightbulb had clicked. Like I finally understood what it meant by blues being a story, or communication between musicians to talk.
Another interesting idea I read in the PDF was “the singers might have something written out to remind them what the verse was but there was no music written on it.” I find this interesting because I always wondered how a majority of singers like to sing. Of course each person is different but one thing that caught my eye listening to I think it was vulfpeck was the melody guitarist would mimic the solo he was doing, with his voice, and the guitar at the same time. It was very impressive that he not only was able to play a solo, but know each and every single note he was about to play, and also sing it to pitch. I would assume something along the same lines happens to these people who sing without any music, they can kind of just sing it to feeling as long as they knew the key, and the energy that they wanted to represent when they were singing.
One sentence that stood out to me was “Bessie had a heart as big as all outdoors, but she gave it all away.” It seems a lot of singers nowadays don’t try to do the good or right thing, or don’t always make the best choices in the making of songs. This helped remind me that while there are some artists that make bad decisions, there are also those who choose to do the opposite.
The other sentence that stood out to me was “They brought her to the hospital but it
seemed like there wasn’t any room for her just then—the people around there didn’t
care for the color of her skin.” To me, the fact that she wouldn’t be taken in even though she was dying is horrifying, and in many ways, its a warning. Beware accidents in history that should not be repeated.
Reflect and write about two or three interesting sentences or ideas that “gave you pause” or food for thought.
”To me, the blues are-well, almost reli-gious. They’re like a chant. The blues are like spirituals, almost sacred” Alberta Hunter. This sentence made me pause as it shows how the blues are not just a form of music but a way of life for many, shown by the way they express themselves. This religious-like connection to jazz is what connects many through music and the lyrical elements presented throughout the “blues”.
”She drank a lot, and there must have been plenty of nights when she got the blues she couldn’t lose, but she went on singing, pouring out the richness and the beauty in her that never dried up“ Mezz Mezzrow. This sentence illustrates that even at low times jazz can act as a remedy to fix problems in people’s lives, showing the beauty of their passion for jazz. Demonstrating how jazz can change lives through there lyrical composition and help those in dark places with the light it brings
Reflect and write about two or three interesting sentences or ideas that “gave you pause” or food for thought.
1. “She could bring about mass hypnotism. When she was performing, you could hear a pin drop” Danny Barker. This sentence showed the magnitude of her performance and the impact it had on others. The image of a captivated audience is clear from this sentence and paints a picture of her breathtaking voice.
2. “Almost all of the blues she sang told sort of a story, and they were written especially for her” frank walker. The use of the word “story” elevates the audience’s understanding of her lyrical storytelling, and passion for jazz.
The first quote that stuck out to me was Buster Bailey saying “I hear a lot of singers now trying to sing something like that. Like this record that came out a few years ago–Why Don’t You Do Right?– they’re trying to imitate her!”. I had heard that song, a lot, and never drew the connection, but hearing her work compared to that piece, the similarities are unmistakable.
When talking about the later years of her career, Frank Walker says “There was bitterness in her, and, you know, the blues ain’t bitter.” The whole passage about her losing her financial footing is upsetting. It’s sad to hear about a person who used their wealth for good and never got the recognition they deserved.
“When he was back home in New Orleans he played piano in one of those honky-tonks and could only play by ear— maybe knowing a half a dozen songs”. I found that sentence interesting mostly because I had never seen the word “hony-tonk” and the idea of having to play by ear seems rather difficult. “Almost all of the blues she sang told sort of a story,
and they were written especially for her.” This quote made me pause because it brought home how influential and big Bessie Smith was.
Reading through the whole article, a few key things stood out to me. At the very beginning when they were speaking about Clarence “He would hear it once and know it.” The ability to hear a song one time and be able to repeat it is simply incredible. And then moving farther down the article Alberta Hunter states “To me, the blues are—well, almost religious.” That pure passion for something you love has always astounded me.
In one of the course videos we watched this week, I thought it was interesting how they explained that “blues are another way to sit around talking”, like it’s a way to tell stories and communicate. This sentence really stuck out as a more personal way to phrase that sentiment: “Almost all of the blues she sang told sort of a story, and they were written especially for her.” (p. 2, “Frank Walker”) Additionally, in the same video, they explained that the blues, while they often discussed sadness, was a form of catharsis, like “I went through these things and now I can look back and not regret the story”, and I thought it was fascinating that she’s described by a couple of the artists as being a very tragic, hurting individual who put it out in her music:
“There was bitterness in her, and, you know, the blues aren’t bitter.” (p. 3, “Frank Walker”).
“Even though she was raucous and loud, she had a sort of a tear—no, not a tear, but there was a misery in what she did.” (p.4-5, “Alberta Hunter”)
The first sentence that gave me pause, was right at the beginning when it was talking about Bessie Smith. The sentence said, “Gaining her experience from traveling vaudeville shows, Smith developed a powerful voice that could project in large spaces without amplification”. I can’t imagine not pausing to think about this sentence, because to have a voice that was so powerful that it caused that affect, is such an incredible thing. The second sentence that gave me pause was when the reading was talking about Clarence Williams and how he did not know many songs, but when one was requested, he would go down to the store and get the sheet music for it. It said, “He would hear it once and know it”. I would give a lot to be able to remember a song like that. I am not huge into music, but I have a few select songs that I really enjoy, but no matter how many times I listen to them, I cannot memorize more than a few of the words.
The first sentence that really caught my eye was “blues were her life. she was blues from the time she got up in the morning until she went to bed at night.” This caught me eye because I think it really highlights how deeply Bessie Smith loved the blues, she embodied the blues and it wasn’t just a music style to her but her whole life. Another sentence that really made me think was “when the blues began to spread out and became established, new people were coming along and Bessie began to lose heart. You might say she didn’t have a hitching post to tie her horse to.” I think this sentence shows and explains that as music evolves and new artists grow more popular, legends can struggle with their identity as they shift from being the most known to less popular.
I find the statement about Bessie Smith, “blues were her life. She was blues from the time she got up in the morning until she went to bed at night,” quite intriguing. It seems like the greatest artists all have an all consuming obsession with their craft, and Bessie Smith exemplifies this archetype well.
In reference to Bessie’s vocal style, Buster Bailey states that “I hear a lot of singers now trying to sing something like
that. Like this record that came out a few years ago—Why Don’t You Do Right?—
they’re trying to imitate her.” This account shows just how influential and seminal she was as a performer at the time. Bessie Smith became an icon, a standard, and a figurehead for the world of blues at the time and helped pave forward the next generation of blues music and performers.
I thought the sentence “the persona projected by Smith—strong, sassy, sensual—has become almost an archetype in representations of classic blues” was very interesting. I do see this persona in many classical blues artists. I also wonder if this helped to create one of the stereotypes of African American women today.
The second quote that I found interesting was “But all of this you forgot when you heard her sing, because when Bessie sang the blues, she meant it”. I think that this is essential to what made her such a great blues singer. As mentioned in the videos, blues isn’t just a type of music, but a feeling.
What made me pause was how poetically these folks talked about her. Particularly the one where Alberta hunter said ” Even though she was raucous and loud, she had a sort of a tear—no, not a tear, but there was a misery in what she did. It was as though there was something she had to get out,” That to me just seems like a sad way to live. It might inspire you to be a beautifully creative artist but the tragic end seems so unfair.
What made me pause was how poetically these folks talked about her. Particularly the one where Alberta hunter said ” Even though she was raucous and loud, she had a sort of a tear—no, not a tear, but there was a misery in what she did. It was as though there was something she had to get out,” That to me just seems like a sad way to live. It might inspire you to be a beautifully creative artist but the tragic end seems so unfair..
“Bessie was a real woman, all woman, all the femaleness the world ever saw in one
sweet package. She was tall and brown-skinned, with great big dimples creasing
her cheeks, dripping good looks—just this side of voluptuous, buxom, shapely as a
hourglass, with a high-voltage magnet for a personality”. This description in the Mezz Mezzrow section of the article is very interesting be because of the contrast between the previous descriptions. For the previous descriptions they didn’t state Bessie Smith’s Initial impression to be anything notable and portrayed or as more uninterested and disconnected. Were as Mezz Mezzrow’s initial description portrays her as a much kinder and sweeter person.
“Almost all of the blues she sang told sort of a story, and they were written especially for her.” This sentence in Frank Walker’s section gave me a moment of pause mainly because this style of song writing is comply opposite of what I do for my songs were I write, mix, master, and publish all on my own the idea of having something for you was very interesting.
The article about Bessie Smith the “Empress of the Blues” was a very thought-provoking read. A couple of sentences that were thought provoking or gave me pause as I read them were when Frank Walker describes Bessie from the time that she arrived, “seventeen- tall and fat- and scared to death,” to the time “she had no heart left, and was singing differently. There was bitterness in her, and you know the Blues aren’t bitter.” During that time period of American history I can only imagine all she experienced and felt as a negro woman. Maybe she was tired, lonely, or even felt defeated. As I continued reading and learned the details of her accident and medical treatment which followed it would seem as though my assumption is more likely the case.
Smith began forming her own act around 1913, at Atlanta’s “81” Theater. By 1920, she had established a reputation in the South and along the East Coast. At the time, sales of over 100,000 copies of “Crazy Blues”, recorded for Okeh Records by the singer Mamie Smith (no relation), pointed to a new market. The recording industry had not directed its product to black people, but the success of the record led to a search for female blues singers. Bessie Smith’s 1923 hit cover of “Downhearted Blues”. Problems playing this file? Smith began her recording career in 1923.[11] She was signed to Columbia Records in 1923 by Frank Walker, a talent agent who had seen her perform years earlier. Her first recording session for Columbia was on February 15, 1923; it was engineered by Dan Hornsby who was recording and discovering many southern music talents of that era. For most of 1923, her records were issued on Columbia’s regular A-series. When the company established a “race records” series, Smith’s “Cemetery Blues” (September 26, 1923) was the first issued. Both sides of her first record, “Downhearted Blues” backed with “Gulf Coast Blues”, were hits (an earlier recording of “Downhearted Blues” by its co-writer Alberta Hunter had previously been released by Paramount Records).[
The phrase, “There were no microphones in those days,” made me reflect on the state of music today. It’s possible that we may never truly experience raw, authentic singing, as vocal powerhouses with a rough, unpolished edge—like Ms. Smith—are fading away, replaced by autotune and digital perfection.
The statement, “There was bitterness in her, and, you know, the blues aren’t bitter,” stood out to me. In some ways, blues often sound bitter to me, evoking nostalgia for a simpler time. That sense of longing leaves a lingering bitterness, and perhaps Bessie embodied what the blues truly need—something raw, real, and unrefined to give it a distinct, authentic depth.
“She, in a sense, was like people like Billy Graham are today. Bessie was in a class with those people. She could bring about mass hypnotism.”
Comparing a blues singer to a preacher was unexpected but insightful. She must have been able to captivate an audience almost spiritual or supernaturally.
“Later on, when the blues began to spread out and became established, new people were coming along and Bessie began to lose heart. You might say she didn’t have a hitching post to tie her horse to.”
The image of a lost hitching post is a powerful metaphor. Even legends can feel adrift when the world moves on from them. In some ways, it must be worse because of the differential.
Sorry wrong email. Auto fill!!! Will be more careful. I resubmitted with my EDU email.
The statement made by Danny Barker, “She, in a sense, was like people like Billy
Graham are today. Bessie was in a class with those people. She could bring about
mass hypnotism. When she was performing, you could hear a pin drop.” it made me envy listening to such live raw music. The way he describes it makes it feel to entrancing to be listening to her that you can only wish you got to experience.
When Mezz Mezzrow said, “Well, she went on for years, being robbed by stinchy managers who
would murder their own mothers for a deuce of blips, having to parade around in
gaudy gowns full of dime-store junk and throw away her great art while the lushes
and morons made cracks about her size and shape.” had my jaw on the floor. It put it into perspective for me that in this time women were barely accepted into much of society, and lots of men liked to take advantage of that and feel like because she was a woman, and didn’t know any better, they could get an amazing deal if they just act like they cared. It also goes to show how strong of a woman Bessie must have been. Lots of these people talk about how kind she was and how she would buy rooms for her friends to stay in which makes it so astonishing on how hard she fought to not let corrupt people ruin her spark and her awe on the crowd.
I am not sure I used my student email. My student email is afindlay2@alaska.edu, just making sure it is correct on your end.
“She, in a sense, was like people like Billy Graham are today. Bessie was in a class with those people. She could bring about mass hypnotism.”
Comparing a blues singer to a preacher was unexpected but insightful. She must have been able to captivate an audience almost spiritual or supernaturally.
“Later on, when the blues began to spread out and became established, new people were coming along and Bessie began to lose heart. You might say she didn’t have a hitching post to tie her horse to.”
The image of a lost hitching post is a powerful metaphor. Even legends can feel adrift when the world moves on from them. In some ways, it must be worse because of the differential.
While reading the article, the first thing that stood out to me was Frank Walker’s description of Clarence. It was more than just a sentence—it was an entire paragraph:
“Clarence really wasn’t much of a pianist, though; he’ll tell you that himself. When he was back home in New Orleans, he played piano in one of those honky-tonks and could only play by ear—maybe knowing a half a dozen songs. Then some inebriate might come in and ask for a song he didn’t know, and Clarence would say, ‘Come back tomorrow night.’ The next day, he’d go down to the five-and-ten-cent store, to the sheet music counter, and pull out the song for the piano player to demonstrate. He would hear it once and know it.”
This amazed me because Clarence was someone who coached and taught artists, yet he wasn’t formally trained in music. I would have assumed that a mentor or teacher in the industry would have had more technical training, but this passage highlighted the power of natural talent and ear training.
Another sentence that stood out to me was: “She began to lose interest in life. She had no heart left and was singing differently.” From what I’ve learned in this class, the Blues is a genre deeply rooted in emotion and feeling. This sentence reinforced that idea for me—if the music is based on emotion, then any change in the artist’s feelings would naturally be reflected in their performance.
The first thing that came to me was within the first few sentences. This was just something interesting to me, and it was the fact that her voice was able to amplify without help. And like in today’s age you never see people that are able to amplify their voices like that. Then when the blues singers got compared to a preacher. This is something you never think about till it’s brought up. But once its brought up you can’t stop thinking about it. And all songs are stories but the way they made her songs so powerful with the stories she was giving the people through her music, made you want to stop and figure out how its done.
I forgot to put the sentence in for the three that i chose so here are where i found my interesting things in the reading,
1. “Smith developed a powerful voice
that could project in large spaces without amplification”
2. “she was doing and what those preachers
and evangelists from there did, and how they moved people”
3. “Almost all of the blues she sang told sort of a story”
One thing that gave me pause and that I noticed in everyone’s description of Bessie was them describing her looks or how she was. They mainly referred her as a “big woman” and someone who truly loved and appreciated the Blues.
It seems as though everyone would focus on the exterior. Judging a book by their cover. “But all of this you forgot when you heard her sing, because when Bessie sang the blues, she meant it. Blues were her life,” said by Frank Walker. I think Bessie was big in her time because here comes a black woman who is dominating this genre. Who would have that that this “big woman” can sing with so much soul and power. Have everyone mesmerized.
Another thing that gave me pause was when Buster Bailey said, “for Bessie, singing was just a living. She didn’t consider it anything special.” Everyone knew her, everyone loved her! Bessie on the other hand is not worried about the fame or everyone else. She is just her and she is just singing the blues.
I throughly enjoyed hearing about her story and learning more about her!
Bessie Smith, often referred to as “The Empress of the Blues,” had a remarkable journey in her career. I found it fascinating that her first hit sold 2 million copies. It’s impressive how she began singing to earn some extra money and tips, ultimately becoming the highest-paid African American performer of her time. Her talent was so exceptional that she performed a renowned song in a film. I was taken aback when I learned she tragically passed away in a car accident due to her injuries.
The interesting thing this writing found was how her voice blinded people’s view of her. She was a fat Black woman, and people said she looked scared, but once she started to sing, none of that was present anymore. It’s like an introverted person with new people. They will be timid, but give them something they are good at and excel at, and they will forget they were ever introverted. it also seems to me it is a trend for musicians to have vast mood swings and lose their purpose a lot faster than other people might, and it is a shame to see that she lost her purpose once she wasn’t in the spot light anymore.
One quote that stood out to me was her her ability to captivate audiences. The quote follows as “You didn’t turn your head when she went on. You just watched Bessie. You didn’t read any newspapers in a night club when she went on.” This quote from Danny Barker really shows how captivating and impactful on crowds she was.
The other quote ill be looking at is the tragic circumstances of her death. “Then one day in 1937 she was in an automobile crash down in Mississippi, the Murder State, and her arm was almost tore out of its socket. They brought her to the hospital but it seemed like there wasn’t any room for her just then—the people around there didn’t care for the color of her skin.” It is absolutely horrific to think that racial injustice was a main contributing factor in her death, and 100% could have been avoided.