How Did Bessie Smith Affect Society

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The Empress of Blues – Bessie Smith Bessie Smith is the best blues singer of the twentieth century because the legacy she left behind still affects us today. Bessie Smith is known as the “Empress of Blues”, and this title is well deserved. Bessie Smith is the most influential and significant blues singer of the twentieth century. Bessie Smith's ability to have full control over the genre was amazing because it allowed her to have a soulful but powerful performance ("Bessie Smith Queen of the Blues"). Smith's work ethic that was drilled in by her older sister helped her launch and continue on with her successful career. Because of Smith's work ethic, she was able to rise out of poverty and into fame (Forman). Bessie Smith influenced many other singers like Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, and more ("Bessie Smith"), and she also had role in changing the musical landscape for African American women (Machado). During her prime, Bessie Smith sold thousands of records and was well paid ("Bessie Smith Queen of the Blues"). She signed with Columbia Records and the focus of her songs were about a woman's control over her body and sexuality (Machado). Smith's success gave hope to …show more content…

Bessie Smith impacted Billie Holiday because Holiday learned a lot through Smith’s records by thinking that Smith was kind of a teacher. Even though Billie Holiday did not have a voice as powerful as Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday’s musical interpretations and phrasing were similar to Bessie Smith. Frank Sinatra was impacted by Bessie Smith because he believed that she was an early blues genius. Sinatra’s voice was more polished than Smith’s voice, but he did find inspiration in the emotions she sang with in the records. Bessie Smith was a highly influential artist that had the power to help people with their music even after her death proving that she truly is “The Empress of Blues” ("Bessie Smith"

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