"Bessie Smith" Thank you "HBO" for telling this extraordinary story. Thank you to the whole cast and especially Queen Laifah for her extraordinary performance. To the late Janis Joplin.......you will always "rock" big tears for what Janis Joplin did for Bessie Smith.
Don't thank HBO for making a bad movie that distorts and desecrates Bessie's life. Latifah sang her songs well, the rest was embarrassing- the work of a clueless writer/director.
I'm Bessie Smith's Great Niece. Thanks for keeping her name alive. I told Beverly Clarke, legally Bessie's granddaughter, to make the movie and she did. Much love to you from the Bessie Smith family.
I hope you have discovered just how far from reality that movie is. Bessie was an extraordinary singer, but her liberated outlook and personality was perhaps to be admired equally much. The poor fool who wrote the script and directed this mess simply lacked the intellect to grasp that.
I'm not sure a black woman can truly be a feminist, yet Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey definitely did whatever they wanted AND made money doing it. They both inspire me.
Sherrice Sledge-Thomas *_i dont know why these Anglo women keep tryna incorporate the BLACK FEMALE struggle wit theirs...as if it was the black men who put up those "Colored or Whites Only" signs_*
@@willysweetwonkajoe1432 but u drool over those very women smh. Black feminism existed before the white race existed because black men were always abusive
in modern day terms, I think that would be about the equivilent of $40K a week, since the cost of living in those days was insanely low, but available money for alot of people was alot lower.
Where were the wealthy BLACK people in that Era that failed to buy Bessie Smith a headstone?? So none of the other wealthy black Americans thought to come together and purchase Bessie Smith a HEADSTONE?? JANIS JOPLIN had to do it??!!! There were sooooo many wealthy Black Americans that loved and appreciated her music, even ones that she influenced, that couldn't even bother to buy her a headstone! Ugh... come on now.
Mary Jane Bessie Smith husband would take any money given for her headstone. He was dead by the time Janis Joplin and Juanita Green bought the headstone.
this is one of the more creative and subtle click baits i have come across on youtube. lol but i love bessie smith much more than janet jackson , so the jokes on you Mr Biography. lol
Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey were the first feminists? Really, Cindi? Ever heard of Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman' in 1792? And I bet there were many before that, too
To the bio website of all of my faveoretes by Bessie smith is.a old child's.blues tune called in a little petunia in an onion patch which was later recorded by Hellen Kane and much later was put on the captain kangaroo child's program on cbs and way later the song was banned because of racial problems and a lot of bad language and also the song started a feud between two families and one of my teachers called the song so nasty that I am nauseaed to even sing this song ever again
Can't help agree with you on that one Chris, I'm guessing that maybe Bessie's husband was a member of the free masons and some of the lodge members were merely showing respect to Bessie, whilst showing support to her husband?... I could be wrong though on that. Btw Chris, Bessie was not the sole influence for Rock'N'Roll because there were countless other blues artists that all played a part in influencing Rock'N'Roll with the most notable ones being Robert Johnson, Son House, and most of all, Little Richard, who combined boogie woogie piano rhythms with the repetitiveness of ragtime to create what became Rock'N'Roll, which is why Little Richard has been known as "The Architect of Rock'N'Roll" for many years and deservedly so.
![Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit" Live 1959 [Reelin' In The Years Archives]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-DGY9HvChXk/mqdefault.jpg)
I always thought that was very sweet of Janis Joplin to buy Bessie a headstone shows she had respect for her blues heroes
A nurse named Juanita Green also contributed to the stone. I wish she'd get more credit.
Muito louvável a sua justiça em relação à enfermeira Juanita. Parabéns! Natal RN Nordeste Brasil.
Bessie Smith will always be remembered!!!!
Oh my God that is so wonder!!! Bless her, what a woman!!!
Queen Latifah brought me here and she did SO good playing Bessie almost sounded and looked like her
"Bessie Smith" Thank you "HBO" for telling this extraordinary story. Thank you to the whole cast and especially Queen Laifah for her extraordinary performance. To the late Janis Joplin.......you will always "rock" big tears for what Janis Joplin did for Bessie Smith.
Don't thank HBO for making a bad movie that distorts and desecrates Bessie's life. Latifah sang her songs well, the rest was embarrassing- the work of a clueless writer/director.
I'm Bessie Smith's Great Niece. Thanks for keeping her name alive. I told Beverly Clarke, legally Bessie's granddaughter, to make the movie and she did. Much love to you from the Bessie Smith family.
Please change the title on the UA-cam caption. You have Janet Jackson instead of Bessie Smith.
Wow she was a beautiful woman! RIP Ms. Bessie Smith
Thank you tube For a blast from the past! it's nice To Know My Heritage! 3/16/15.
Ma Rainey was NOT UGLY! These 2 women were way ahead of their time!
Right! She literally just didn't have European features. :(
just saw the movie bessie last night and had to find out more about her
I hope you have discovered just how far from reality that movie is. Bessie was an extraordinary singer, but her liberated outlook and personality was perhaps to be admired equally much. The poor fool who wrote the script and directed this mess simply lacked the intellect to grasp that.
This just makes me want to think Janis Joplin was a total sweetheart.
Go Bessie Smith!
Thanks for the bio.
I'm not sure a black woman can truly be a feminist, yet Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey definitely did whatever they wanted AND made money doing it. They both inspire me.
I wouldn't call Bessie a feminist, but she was a remarkably liberated woman in an era and business where that was not easy to be.
Sherrice Sledge-Thomas *_i dont know why these Anglo women keep tryna incorporate the BLACK FEMALE struggle wit theirs...as if it was the black men who put up those "Colored or Whites Only" signs_*
Why because it makes black MEN insecure?
@@willysweetwonkajoe1432 but u drool over those very women smh. Black feminism existed before the white race existed because black men were always abusive
@@jennyjones4875 Lies stfu
Black women MAGIC 😊❤❤❤
Just curious. Why was Janet Jacksons name in the title of this video???
Love Janet Jackson!
$2,000 a week! !!! its 2016 and I don't even make $2,000 a Month!
ryt
Okaaaay!!!
in modern day terms, I think that would be about the equivilent of $40K a week, since the cost of living in those days was insanely low, but available money for alot of people was alot lower.
$2,000 in the 1920s genius
Today
big up janis joplin who bought bessie smith a headstone after laying in an umarked grave for many years
I did not Ms.Joplin done that; bless her soul🙏
Very Interesting
I got that movie on 8mm reel with audio :)
R.I.P.
Why is this Bessie Smith video called, "Janet Jackson- Singer & Songwriter"?
I figure it was either an honest mistake or click bait.
My thing says Janet Jackson for some reason.
If Bessie Smith doesn’t have a Google Doodle I’m going to destroy the world
Good voice
2:35 what's that song
The song is called "St. Louis Blues" By Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong
Anyone happened to know the song at the very last part? That's very touching.
Where were the wealthy BLACK people in that Era that failed to buy Bessie Smith a headstone?? So none of the other wealthy black Americans thought to come together and purchase Bessie Smith a HEADSTONE?? JANIS JOPLIN had to do it??!!! There were sooooo many wealthy Black Americans that loved and appreciated her music, even ones that she influenced, that couldn't even bother to buy her a headstone! Ugh... come on now.
If she (Bessie) made so much money .why did she lay in a unmarked grave?
Mary Jane Bessie Smith husband would take any money given for her headstone. He was dead by the time Janis Joplin and Juanita Green bought the headstone.
to smoke mary jane
It will be a hot time in the old town tonight.
Four talking heads, all white folks. What's wrong with this picture?
The old master painter by frank sinatra was written by bessie smith
Boy, Janet Jackson has changed...
Took decades for Janis to honor her with a headstone obviously racist Hollywood could not be bothered
Bessie didn't have anything to do with Hollywood. She was a singer.
this is one of the more creative and subtle click baits i have come across on youtube. lol but i love bessie smith much more than janet jackson , so the jokes on you Mr Biography. lol
April 15 1894-September 26 1937
AGE ‘43
Hey Bessie it's Christmas here
Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey were the first feminists? Really, Cindi? Ever heard of Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman' in 1792? And I bet there were many before that, too
Your comment smells of 🙄Petty Karen fragility. She's talking about PERFORMERS.
Why is it named Janet Jackson....
Way to completely erase her sexuality, disappointed.
beatification
To the bio website of all of my faveoretes by Bessie smith is.a old child's.blues tune called in a little petunia in an onion patch which was later recorded by Hellen Kane and much later was put on the captain kangaroo child's program on cbs and way later the song was banned because of racial problems and a lot of bad language and also the song started a feud between two families and one of my teachers called the song so nasty that I am nauseaed to even sing this song ever again
why are masons carrying her casket?
they the ones who kill her in the car crash like they did Paul walker and princess Diana and dude who played in moesha
That's pure nonsense, Grace Ross.
Can't help agree with you on that one Chris, I'm guessing that maybe Bessie's husband was a member of the free masons and some of the lodge members were merely showing respect to Bessie, whilst showing support to her husband?... I could be wrong though on that.
Btw Chris, Bessie was not the sole influence for Rock'N'Roll because there were countless other blues artists that all played a part in influencing Rock'N'Roll with the most notable ones being Robert Johnson, Son House, and most of all, Little Richard, who combined boogie woogie piano rhythms with the repetitiveness of ragtime to create what became Rock'N'Roll, which is why Little Richard has been known as "The Architect of Rock'N'Roll" for many years and deservedly so.
Janet Jackson brought me here!
I don't find her life amusing
The successful evening neuropathologically press because banjo intraorally rush unlike a parsimonious date. silent, bewildered arithmetic
Blues just doesn't excite me 🤦♂️
check out Johnny Winter
Why are y'all treating Bessie like a saint? She was a low down dirty woman. Do your research.