"Empress of the Blues" is the title given to Bessie Smith, a highly influential and acclaimed African American blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Smith's powerful voice and emotional delivery helped to shape the blues genre and establish her as one of the greatest singers of her time.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1894, Bessie Smith began her singing career performing on street corners and in local clubs. She later joined the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, a traveling vaudeville troupe, where she honed her performance skills and gained a following.

Smith's big break came in 1923, when she signed a record deal with Columbia Records. She went on to record numerous hit songs, including "Downhearted Blues," which sold over 800,000 copies and catapulted her to national fame.

Known for her bold, unapologetic lyrics and raw emotional delivery, Bessie Smith's music often addressed themes of love, loss, and empowerment. She was a trailblazer for African American artists in the music industry and paved the way for future generations of Black musicians.

Tragically, Bessie Smith's life was cut short in a car accident in 1937. Despite her untimely death, her legacy as the "Empress of the Blues" lives on, and she is remembered as one of the greatest voices in American music history.