It's a long old road, but I know I'm gonna find the end.

Bessie Smith (the Empress of the Blues,) born April 15, 1895 in Chattanooga, Tennesee, was a powerful, strong-willed woman who made her mark in history through singing the blues in the 1920’s and 30’s.









In 1989, Bessie Smith received both a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early influence.