Her first recording down hearted blues sold an estimated 800,000 copies making her a big time artist. Join napster and access fulllength songs on your phone, computer or home audio device. The empress of the blues was accompanied by only louis armstrong on cornet, and fred longshaw on pump organ a rare instrument on recordings during that era. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with louis armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists.
Louis blues cornet louis armstrong organ fred longshaw vocals bessie smith. Louis armstrong, bing crosby, bessie smith, count basie, glenn miller. Nicknamed the empress of the blues, smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Louis armstrong, bing crosby, bessie smith, count basie, glenn miller, guy lombardo, and the boston pops orchestra are among the artists who have recorded it. Bessie smith with orchestra louis armstrong cornet, fred longshaw, harmonium st. It remains a fundamental part of jazz musicians repertoire. Whether accompanied by a piano or louis armstrongs signature horn, bessie smith proves she can sing anything and make you feel it. Louis blues contributor names murphy, dudley blackhawk films sack amusement enterprises.
Louis blues, which features her singing the song again. Bessie smith queen of the blues her best recordings. Saint louis blues download to support blues for kids. This is a cddvd package containing a dvd of bessies 1929 17 minute short film, st. Louis blues in 1929 that took this statement to an extreme. American singer bessie smith, known as the empress of the blues, circa 1935. Feb 26, 2020 bessie smith songs downhearted blues by the early 1920s, smith had settled down and was living in philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man named jack gee. Louis blues just as blue as i can be hes got a heart like a rock cast in the sea or else he wouldnt have gone so far from me.
Louis woman with her diamond rings pulls my man around by her apron strings wasnt for powder and his storebought hair the man i love, wouldnt go nowhere, nowhere i got the st. Even on her first records in 1923, her passionate voice overcame the primitive recording quality of the day and still communicates easily to todays listeners which is not true of any. Discover top playlists and videos from your favorite artists on shazam. It has been performed by numerous musicians in various styles, from louis armstrong and bessie smith to count basie, glenn miller, guy. Louis blues just as blue as i can be hes got a heart thats like a rock cast in the sea or else he wouldnt have gone. Deep thought the film, sort of a protomusic video in which bessie smith sings the song and acts the part of a downandout woman at the behest of an abusive husband, was something of a sellout move for smith, who turned to movies when. Directed by dudley murphy, it is the only known film of bessie smith, and the soundtrack is her only recording not controlled by columbia records. By the early 1930s, bessie found herself agreeing to deals that were a relative humiliation.
The original toughmama prototype for nearly every female blues singer to come, hardliving, bigvoiced bessie smith was also the first blues singer with a megahit recording career, achieved in part via collaborations with some of the most notable musicians of her era. Nicknamed the empress of the blues she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Louis blues has been covered by many musicians, from bessie smith to herbie hancock. Bessie smith saint louis blues lyrics genius lyrics. Louis blues, directed by dudley murphy and starring bessie smith, was named to the national film registry in 2006. Louis blues with louis armstrong, a song by bessie smith, louis armstrong on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes.
Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Louis blues, in 1929, further securing her connection. Louis blues album version by bessie smith with louis. Louis blues, featuring a young louis armstrong on cornet. Louis blues film, for example, was a compromised move for a woman of her stature. Directed by dudley murphy, it is the only known film of bessie smith, and the soundtrack is her only recording not. Louis gal 1923 bessie smith vcl acc by irving johns, jimmy jones p, 8123, columbia, 05d. Download young womans blues by bessie smith emusic. It became one of her most popular and enduring recordings. Columbia whether accompanied by a piano or louis armstrongs signature horn, bessie smith proves she can sing anything and make you feel it.
Louis blues, parlophone ca 1935 british reedition of the us columbia, mx 140241 from 1925. In her prime in the 1920s and 1930s, she was the highestpaid black entertainer in the u. Louis blues contributor names murphy, dudley blackhawk films. Handy recorded by bessie smith this is a much shorter and much simplified version of the original, but i think you can still get the feel coming through. I hate to see the evnin sun go down i hate to see the evnin sun go down it makes me think of all my left go round feelin tomorrow lik. In fact, two of the best performances occurred on the same recording the 1925 version with vocals by bessie smith and louis armstrong on trumpet. Bessie smith born april 14, 1894, chattanooga, tennessee, usa died september 26, 1937, in a car accident near clarksdale, mississippi, usa was an american blues singer. This release came out some time between 19391944 on the label philharmonic which produced records with firestone branding on them to be sold alongside firestone tires and services. Louis blues and a cd containing her best known recordings. This sometimes sultry, sometimes gutwrenching empress of the blues was one of the genres very first recording artists. The 1925 version sung by bessie smith, with louis armstrong on cornet, was inducted into the grammy hall of fame in 1993.
Louis blues original recordings, 1924 1925 by bessie. The yellow dog blues banjo charlie dixon brass bass bob escudero clarinet buster bailey cornet joe smith 3 piano fletcher henderson tenor saxophone coleman hawkins trombone charlie green vocals bessie smith. Louis blues is a popular american song composed by w. W c handy st louis blues midi file for saxophone midi 8notes. Louis blues, and nobody knows you when your down and out. She found herself doing performances in mammy costumes and singing bawdy, fifthrate songs on the vaudeville circuit again terkel 41. Nicknamed the empress of the blues, she was considered by many to be the greatest blues singer of all time.
Streaming and by permanent download to your computer andor device. May 07, 2008 in 1925, bessie smith waxed her take on w. I hate to see that evening sun go down yes, i hate to see that evening sun go down cause it makes me feel like im on my last goround if im feelin tomorrow like. See more ideas about bessie smith, her music and music. Louis blues album version by bessie smith with louis armstrong on amazon music. This tworeel early sound short premiered in new york before the feature bulldog drummond in 1929. Handy in the blues style and published in september 1914. The early sound film features smith in an africanamerican speakeasy of the. Bessie smith the complete recordings, volume 2 album lyrics. Louis blues, from 1929, featured bessie smith singing the song. By the time bessie smith had the opportunity to put her inimitable stamp on st. Blue water blues, taint nobodys business if i do, st. Louis blues also inspired three movies one of them a 1958 biopic starring nat king cole as handy, and was recorded by most of the major bluesbased performers of the century. The only surviving film footage of bessie smith is a 1929 short film st.
Louis blues is a 1929 american tworeel short film starring bessie smith. Bessie smith is regarded as the empress of blues, and considered one of the most influential vocalists of. It was also one of the first blues songs to succeed as a pop song. Download bessie smith discography files tradownload. Louis blues in 1925, the song had already embarked upon a 30year. Louis blues with louis armstrong, a song by bessie. It was one of the first blues songs to succeed as a pop song and remains a fundamental part of jazz musicians repertoire. Sep 12, 2015 nicknamed the empress of the blues, smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Louis blues original recordings, 1924 1925 by bessie smith now. Create a custom radio station from your favorite songs by bessie smith on iheartradio.
Jan 16, 2000 american singer bessie smith, known as the empress of the blues, circa 1935. The early sound film features smith in an africanamerican speakeasy of the prohibition era singing the w. Being released by parlophone and peaking at number 3 on the us pop charts, bessie smith was contracted for a film of the same name, st. Aug 17, 2012 listen to your favorite songs from st. Download midi file download alto saxophone midi file download piano. The first major blues and jazz singer on record and one of the most powerful of all time, bessie smith rightly earned the title of the empress of the blues. The songs sound terrific on guitar, and with freds instruction, the arrangements are easy to follow. The film was produced at the gramercy studio in queens, and starred an entirely black cast. Louis woman with her diamond rings pulls my man around by her apron strings wasnt for powder and his storebought hair the man i love wouldnt go nowhere, nowhere i got the st. Music of bessie smith stefan grossmans guitar workshop. Mar 24, 2012 bessie smith with orchestra louis armstrong cornet, fred longshaw, harmonium st. Bessie smith songs downhearted blues by the early 1920s, smith had settled down and was living in philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man named jack gee.
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