Bessie Smith was born April 15,1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bessie was one of seven kids. Her dad died a little after she was born and her mom and two of her brothers died shortly after. Her aunt raised her and the rest of her siblings. Bessie always sang as a little kid and she loved to do it. Bessie first started out as a street dancer and singer. She signed her first contract in 1923 with Columbia Records. That same year she married Jack Gee and settled down in Philadelphia, but then they separated in 1929. Bessie sold many tracks and preformed with many famous jazz performers. In 1931 Bessie stopped working for Columbia records. The Great Depression was part of the reason she stopped and also because she had a serious problem with alcohol. In 1933 she signed with the music producer John Hammond. She continued to tour for the next few years. Bessie died in a car crash on the way to a performance on September 26,1937 at the age of 43. Since segregation was going on at this time, she refused treatment at a white's only hospital and then was transfered to a black's only hospital where she died.
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