| Known as the Empress of the Blues,
Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her date of birth is uncertain
and is variously given as 1894-6, 1898, and 1900. Bessie's career began
when she was 'discovered' by none other than Ma Rainey when Ma's revue,
the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, was passing through Chattanooga around 1912
and she had the occasion to hear young Bessie sing. Ma took Bessie on the
road with the show and communicated, consciously or not, the subtleties
and intricacies of an ancient and still emerging art form. |
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