Ma Bessie

Nicknamed the “Empress of the Blues”, Bessie Smith was perhaps the greatest singer of her era, producing raw, uncut country blues inspired by life in the American Deep South. She made over 160 recordings through the 1920s and 30s and was the country’s highest paid black entertainer. Her music, style and success paved the way for the likes of Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan and Aretha Franklin. Here, Julia Titus takes on the role of Bessie Smith, backed by her own six-piece blues troupe of internationally acclaimed musicians, and performing a narrated show featuring music from the era and showcasing many of Bessie's most celebrated songs. The performance chronicles her life from a one-room shack in Blue Goose Hollow through to national stardom, commercial success, and the tragic accident on Route 61 in September 1937 that ended her life, aged 43 years.