Bessie Smith
by Jackie Kay
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Description
"Known for her prodigious musical talent, her timeless blues narratives about personal and socioeconomic problems, her tough persona, and her innate ability to enrapture audiences with her raw voice, Bessie Smith--the Empress of the Blues--receives a unique biographical treatment in this special life narrative captured by one of Scotland's finest poets. By masterfully blending research, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and her own experiences in listening to Bessie Smith, Jackie Kay brings Smith show more to life, chronicling her humble beginnings in Tennessee to her national touring and recording success to her troubled relationships and her tragic end. The result is a lyrical tribute that not only captures Smith's personality but manages to reproduce her voice as her lyrics echo throughout the text. Bessie Smith lives on, and as Kay argues, she is relevant now more than ever"-- show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Interesting I need to listen to her songs
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Author Information
36+ Works 1,672 Members
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
The Guardian Book of the Day (2021-02-15)
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Bessie Smith
- People/Characters
- Bessie Smith
Classifications
- Genres
- Music, Biography & Memoir, Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 782.421643092 — Arts & recreation Music Vocal Music, Singing Secular forms of vocal music Songs General principles and musical forms Traditions of secular songs {genres} Western popular songs Blues History, geographic treatment, biography Biography
- LCC
- ML420 .S667 .K39 — Music Literature on music Literature on music History and criticism Biography
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 98
- Popularity
- 328,230
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.72)
- Languages
- English, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 3
