Bessie Smith

This genre-bending tribute to legendary blues singer Bessie Smith, crafted by Scotland’s National Poet, intertwines poetry, prose, fiction, and nonfiction to offer a unique biography of the Empress of the Blues. Born in Chattanooga in 1894 and orphaned early, Smith rose from singing on street corners to immense fame after her first recording in 1923 sold 780,000 copies. The book captures her unmatched vocal talent and complex persona while serving as a powerful narrative of one woman's journey toward recognition and identity. Through a blend of history and personal reflection, it paints a vivid picture of an extraordinary life that remains a force in American music history.