My what a voice. Even on scratchy old vinyl she can bring quivers to your spine. Empty Bed Blues, Mymymy.

I'm sure everyone has heard the phrase knock your socks off. Bessie could do that to you. Listen to her sing I need a little sugar in my bowl. I need a little hot dog between my roll. Whatever she was singing about, she made you feel it too. What a talent.

After reading a short biography about her, I decided to listen to some of her music, so I purchased a box set of Bessie's called "Empress of the Blues". The times being what they were back in the early part of the century, the recordings are very rough and scratchy, and the accompaniments are slim, but Bessie definitely had a lean mean powerful voice. It was dark and mournful, and very beguiling. The two songs that stand out for me were Aggravatin' Papa and Outside of That.

I only know Bessie Smith from an LP I picked up on the cheap at the P'ton Record Exchange. Besides the beautiful "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," my fave part of the record is when she's laughing about the price of pigs feet being too high at 25 cents (or something along those lines).