I decided to write about Bessie Smith and her influence on jazz and blues. Of course, it is a fact that almost all of our current popular music and the popular music before today can be traced back to the very early ages of rhythm and blues. I believe that this chapter is a testament to the influence of blues, which originated from African American culture, as well as the influence of women in society through music. Someone like Ella Fitzgerald, and Bessie Smith before her, had an undeniable impact on the advancements of women in American society through their musical abilities. I find this to be truly amazing. I also like how Buster Bailey incorporated a comparison to Louis Armstrong, he said, “Bessie was the Louis of the blues singers.” It’s interesting to read this kind of an analogy because it helps me scale the level of fame that she achieved. I always thought Ella was amazing, but Bessie nearly surpasses her. Both were incredible, but Bessie came first, and in the 1920s it was even harder for a woman (let alone a black woman) to reach that kind of stardom.

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