Bessie+Smith


 * by Jamilah,**
 * Grade 3**



Bessie Smith was a great blues musician. She sang songs like “T’ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do” or “Black Water Blues”. When Bessie was little, both her parents died. She had to live with her two older brothers, Clarence and Andrew. Since their parent's died, Bessie and her brothers had to dance, sing and play music to get money. As she got older, Bessie became a blues singer. Every time she sang it left the crowd cheering. Bessie was a great blues singer. The song “Down Hearted Blues” sold over 780,000 copies. Bessie was called “Empress of the Blues”. She sang her heart out at the Cotton Club and Broadway. She loved singing so much that when she sang she hypnotized the audience. Bessie has inspired people to follow their dreams and never give up because she never gave up when things went wrong for her. She was a high-spirited and never-give-up kind of woman. Bessie Smith died on September 26, 1937. She died at the age of forty three. Bessie was young when she died, but she lived a full life. People buried her in Clarkesdale, Mississippi, where she lay peacefully.