Bessie Smith Photographs by Carl Van Vechten: Picture 7
The Empress of the Blues: Bessie Smith
After 1929, the whole recording industry found itself in a crisis, and Bessie Smith's recordings were not an exception. She could get less pay for personal appearances. She was forced to sell her personal railroad car.
She tried the new film industry in 1929, with a movie St. Louis Blues, which had some popularity. She even appeared in one Broadway production.
Pictures in this series: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Index
Images of Bessie Smith courtesy of Library of Congress
