Bessie Smith - The Colorful History Of My Family

Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer.

Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s.[1] She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists.[2]

Researching my families history all through the South is very interesting indeed,but there was always a common thread, Bessie Smith,especially back in the 1920's.

My great Aunt Jet would play her records when I was very young and even at that age, I knew the legendary singer had an effect on my 'nana'.

Digging back through family folklore, which is what 'The River' is loosely based on, I understood why. During the 1920's ( I could never get the exact date) Ms. Smith traveled to Texas on tour with a host of other artist. As the story was told to me, my 'Aunt Jet', named because of her jet black skin and long hair, was 21 at the time. It was said that Ms. Smith's performance was the very first time she was ever in a juke-joint, as most of my family at that time where church going people.

I was told that Aunt Jet was sitting near the singer, Ms. Smith belting out tunes so powerfully, 'It seemed the building would come down' .

Well, as the legend goes, my dear great aunt was so shy, Bessie pulled her up on stage for a few moments. Later, the world famous 'Queen of Blues' bought my aunt her very FIRST alcoholic drink, a bourbon straight.  I have no idea if this is true, but it has been a story that has been floating around in my family for some time. Check out the video above, a WHOLE collection of the wonderful singer's talent. I am sure at least a few of those songs were heard my  late aunt that wonderful night when she met the most influential woman known in Blues.

To say that my family has a colorful history based in folklore and legend, well that just like saying that sugar is sweet.....it just is.

From the mouths of my elders as well as their long gone elders, I have heard stories about my family being linked to everyone, from Marie Catherine Laveau, world famous  voodoo practitioner, said to be my great-great-great cousin, to Robert Johnson, legendary blue singer, said to be a beau of my great-great aunt, the stories that run in my family are deeply woven in who we are as a clan.

For example, it has been said, and I have heard this from several elders on both sides of my french creole family, that it was Marie Catherine Laveau  that taught her one of her cousins how to seduce a wealthy white land owner into making her a 'kept woman of color'. That woman was my great-great-great grandmother, the man in question had several babies with her .

Another story I have heard, and this one was told only once and it was in a 'grown-folks' conversation that I was eavesdropping onto as a child. The story was about the legendary blues musician, Robert Johnson.
The young genius was known for playing 'speak-easy's  and juke-joints all around the south, as the story goes, he met my great-great aunt in Louisiana and feel deeply in love. It was said that his guitar and song writing skills were good, but my relative saw so much more in the fire that was his beautiful soul. It has been said that my aunt, a creole voodoo woman from Marie Laveau's side of the family, taught Johnson how to call up  (and it was NOT the devil) Papa Legba, a voodoo god known for helping humans communicate with the African gods of old.  It has been said when the young man got the fame he wanted, he broke my aunt's heart and she cursed him,hence the reason why he died at such a very young age.

As you can see, my family is full of folklore, and I hope I can share as many stories as I can with the world.