Biography on Pioneering Black Musician “Empress of the Blues" Bessie Smith, First Edition 1969

Bessie Smith

First Edition

[African American][Music] Moore, Carman. Somebody’s Angel Child: The Story of Bessie Smith. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1969. First edition. Orange cloth titled in red, in original pictorial dust jacket (design by Jo Polseno). Illustrated with photographs. Issued as part of the Women of America series, this biography introduces young readers to the life and career of Bessie Smith (1894–1937), known as the “Empress of the Blues.” Moore, himself a composer and music critic, recounts Smith’s rise from poverty in Chattanooga to international renown, emphasizing her powerful stage presence, emotional depth, and the enduring resonance of her recordings. The text interweaves narrative with song lyrics, including “Baby Doll” (1927), “Death Valley Moan” (1929), and “Reckless Blues” (1925), to convey Smith’s artistry. The Women of America series aimed to highlight women who “refused to accept things as they were,” portraying them as rebels, innovators, and cultural leaders. In this volume, Smith emerges as both a pioneering African American artist and a larger-than-life personality whose voice and music embodied the struggles and triumphs of her people. Jacket lightly rubbed at spine ends and corners; price-clipped. Cloth bright and clean; binding tight. Very good in very good dust jacket. An important mid-century biography of Bessie Smith, produced at a moment when blues and jazz history was only beginning to be incorporated into mainstream cultural narratives.

Item #22595

Price: $225.00