Bessie Smith: The Woman Who Sang The Blues

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[@t.j.payeur5331]

In 1970 Janis Joplin bought a headstone for the unmarked grave of Bessie Smith, who died in 1937. It says "The Greatest Blues Singer in the World Will Never Stop Singing"... Janis died 3 months later.

[@twistoffate4791]

Janis bought it along with Juanita Green, an old Smith family employee and also a former employee of the president of the North Philly NAACP chapter. Bessie's ex-husband somehow got the money from her record sales but didn't buy her a headstone. Bessie's family did not buy one, either. Her grave went unmarked for about 33 years or so.

[@mochawitch]

​ Yeah, that Jack gee guy(Bessie's ex husband) was a jerk. I hated the way that hbo movie tried to make him more important than he actually was.

[@twistoffate4791]

@@mochawitch I agree with you completely.

[@DarrylRuiz-s1w]

❤ Janis ❤

[@JebidiahKrackedyetagain-xv9hc]

WOW REALLY???😳😳😳

[@theprinceofbrazil]

I am so happy folks are talking more about 1920's blues! I personally prefer it over jazz. Maybe because it is the faundation to rock music, but I cant help but love its style!

[@stischer47]

My grandparents had a wind-up Victrola and they had a number of Bessie Smith's records, along with a number of blues records. It was quite an education.

[@robertgrace8399]

It should be noted, if you didn't already know that the piercing cornet on St Louis Blues was by Louis Armstrong

[@mochawitch]

@@robertgrace8399 one of the most perfect recordings ever. Bessie and Louis... You can't beat that❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@rhondajohnson8310]

Thank you for this entry, very interesting and entertaining. So sad she passed away when it sounded like her career was about to pick up again

[@omalone1169]

2:10 met Ma Rainey where ?

[@QUEENofHEARTZ1973]

She died at the exact same cross roads as the one Robert Johnson sold his aoul to the devil, Sad that 33 years she lay in an unmarked grave cause her husband who not only did her dirty in life, but did her and her adopted son dirty in death by not getting her a head stone, until Janis Joplin bought her a head stone in 1970 . R.I.P Bessie Smith

[@26beegee]

Great video! I have heard about Bessie almost my whole life but, didn’t know much about her except her music. Even though I’m 70 it is nice to know more about her. Thanks!

[@lilithrogers5204]

I agree...at 77 it's always great to learn more.....

[@RoxanneCarcerano-LeFevre]

I agree 💯! Amazing lady!!

[@judyalvarez203]

Great video. Can you do a video on Billy Hoilday. Thank you.

[@syingram6677]

Billie Holiday came of age in the 1930s - her first single was released in 1933 - it was titled " Your Mother's Son In Law" - she was backed up by Benny Goodman and his orchestra

[@Wildrover82]

Didn't Janis Joplin pay for a headstone for her? Think i heard that. Love your page. Thanks for the content.🙌

[@nancydemoss2945]

There's a post about that.

[@omalone1169]

​@@nancydemoss2945where is the source ? What happened to black Swan records

[@DarrylRuiz-s1w]

Such a remarkable woman.She lived life on her own terms Gone too soon

[@Rebelartist83]

Wow Bessie sounds like quite the baller and bit of a Bada#$! and Character..idk if there ever was a biopic made about her i can see someone like Queen latifah or Neicey Nash playing her

[@lilithrogers5204]

Oh, thank You for this enlightening and beautiful story of Bessie Smith.....what a life!! I wish she'd lived on for many more years......😍 but glad to have what we do have of her.....

[@spacecowgurl57]

Please watch the movie about Bessie that Queen Latifah played the role. Exactly on par with the research given here. 👏 🎉❤

[@JebidiahKrackedyetagain-xv9hc]

Never heard of her before, but thank you for bringing her to my attention!😳😶🙂

[@mistergrandpasbakery9941]

Bob Wills credited her with being his biggest influence.

[@bluedragon4055]

“Colored ambulance” “Black hospital” Jesus! I’ve heard of segregation laws for public transport, restaurants, schools, but I’d have NEVER thought of that one!

[@Proverbspsalms]

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 so you have no idea what year this was? Did you think this happened in 2018?

[@bluedragon4055]

@@Proverbspsalms I’m fully aware this is not from resent events. Also, that really doesn’t make any sense why I wouldn’t know when acts of segregation was legal in America given the fact that they teach this stuff all through out middle and high school. All I was saying was that I didn’t considered one aspect related to it.

[@Relcilisity_Official]

Cool

[@TheKoolbraider]

What an amazing woman!

[@gabriellebernard198]

Anothe black husband/pimp talking a working wifes money. Billy Holliday had the same arrangement. Go figure!

[@alanaadams7440]

And Aretha Franklin

[@MaBessie]

Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for posting

[@luvnalaska44]

Another informative video. She had a fascinating life. I had no idea her personality was so big.

[@lefty-bw1zp]

It was amazing what Bessie was able to achieve given her upbringing.

[@marykennedy2051]

The way they killed her is such a sickening tale. A magnificent singer. It is a shame she had to be born into such a terrible country.

[@marymarysmarket3508]

Such a terrible country? Do you mean the only country where any success was even possible?

[@marktapley7571]

She had way more opportunities here than she would have had anywhere else. She was very fortunate that her ancestors were sold by their own people into the Jew run Atlantic slave so that she was born in the U.S. rather than in a mud hut in Africa with no prospects.

[@geerowr.6666]

It's always amazing to me how talents like Bessie overcame so many odds and managed to live a decent life. Even if only for a little while. I'd read quiet a bit about Bessie and your account is very well researched. Thank You!

[@mochawitch]

🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@jeffolsen4983]

Great biopic. Thanks!

[@djohnson9083]

Really enjoyed this.

[@Rtroom]

I love ur voice and ur videos

[@omalone1169]

5:20 is that Jelly Roll Martin ?

[@michaelmcgee8543]

She was a good blues singer.

[@circussounds855]

Love Bessie Smith & i so love your channel-thanks for being here! 💕

[@omalone1169]

1920 Perry Bradford Crazy Blues cover Clarence Williams of Colombia Records deal then Frank Walker direct No royalty cause Clarence ce Williams Gulf Coast blues and down heart blues Fletcher Henderson ?

[@remotelyanonymous]

Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith is such a great movie.

[@elizabethdaniellesimaviggi3289]

La vern baker sings bessie smith lp on atlantic records a flawless tribute album to bessie 1957 get it i promise you will love this recording

[@catheryndenton1766]

Excellent !!!

[@06BIBOI]

Underrated legend !

[@jazzhonk21]

Underrated? Not in the least. Bessie Smith is extremely highly rated, more than any other female blues singer ever.

[@MelodyRose124]

LOVE BESSIE SMITH

[@garfixit]

❤❤❤❤

[@Nocturnal11Guy]

Thanks for posting this video.

[@michaelmcgee8543]

That was a double standards.

[@larantiga]

I'm Brazilian and I really love ancient songs! This kind of video is perfect to training my English listening, because this is subject is very interesting to me, I love her music! Forever

[@PaulaGem]

"It aint all you are in the Bible"

[@JudahCub1981]

What a luminous smile ❤

[@fingerzfrienemy2226]

So, a total reprobate.

[@BillShortell]

Are you sure you got the story of her death right. I have heard that the ambulance took her to a much closer white hospital that turned her away as she was bleeding to death.

[@The1920sChannel]

So in the biography that serves as the main source material for Bessie’s life by Chris Albertson, he was able to talk to a crucial witness to her death who was there at the scene. The person who called the ambulance didn’t know the race of the crash victim, so a white and colored ambulance were sent out, so it makes sense how the story could get a detail like that changed and that was the story passed around for a long time. Of course this correction was made by a single witness, so some people might be skeptical, but I think that the witness, who was a doctor, didn’t have much to gain from making it up, and Albertson also trusted his telling of the story. I hope this cleared things up!

[@JebidiahKrackedyetagain-xv9hc]

Pretty sure SHE made it to the top of some HOLY MOUNTAIN and is now looking down us mere mortals from some sacred throne???😳

[@gabriellebernard198]

When are women going to realize that having babies young and out of wedlock guarantees a life of poverty, ignorance and humgry. Pretty much ensuring that your kids will do the same. This story is from amore than a century ago and it is still the same. Break the cycle girls. Everyone knows the outcome.

[@notmypotato3730]

😂😂😂 do you really believe she scared off the k lan lololo if so the group is clearly not the frightening all powerful group historians would gave us believe. So which is it? Lololo and to claim a person isnt an alcoholic because they can jump on the wagon for a few months. Is just plain foolishness

[@omalone1169]

09:00 alton maddox on sumptuous laws ?

[@magovenor]

Honestly what has changed? Show business is just smoke and mirrors. Away from the stage or recording studio, folks down time is rarely dedicated to anything except self promotion. Or self indulgence.

[@DizzyD1693]

𝙰𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝟸 𝚍𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚎 𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝟺 𝚒𝚝!!!!!🦇🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤🦇🦇🦇