Smith, Bessie

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Smith, Bessie (1895–1937) US singer, known as the ‘Empress of the Blues’. In 1923, Smith made her recording début and sold more than two million records. Her powerful voice and poignant phrasing accompanied early jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong. Her popularity plummeted during the Depression. She died after being refused treatment at a whites-only hospital following a serious car accident.

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