Photo: Carl Van Vechten / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
For me, Bessie Smith is proof that a single voice can outlast its own century. She rose from the streets of Chattanooga to become the defining blues singer of her era, and what strikes me most is not the "Empress of the Blues" crown but the sheer force of will behind it. The honors kept coming long after her death in 1937 — a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2023 — which tells me every singer who followed quietly studied her. That is the rarest kind of influence: still teaching, decades on.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bessie Smith
- Name (Japanese)
- ベッシー・スミス
- Reading
- べっしー・すみす
- Born
- April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Horse
- Origin
- Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- street artist / musician / singer / dancer / mime artist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1989 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1989 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 2023 National Women's Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Bessie Smith born?
April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937.
Where is Bessie Smith from?
Bessie Smith is from Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States.
What does Bessie Smith do?
Bessie Smith works as street artist, musician, singer, dancer, mime artist.
Street artist — see all → · Musician — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-18
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.