Bessie Smith - The Essential Bessie Smith

Stories of Bessie's antics continue to amuse, but beyond them all are her magnificent recordings, all made for the Columbia label, many among the most important and influential in the history of popular music.

This Essential collection contains 36 remarkable songs on 2 CDs capturing the best of one of the greatest blues artists of all time. Highlights include classic performances with Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden and others, plus detailed notes and great photos.

Aggravatin' Papa
Baby Won't You Please Come Home
'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do
Jail-House Blues
Graveyard Dream Blues
Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down
Boweavil Blues
Weeping Willow Blues
Dying Gambler's Blues
St. Louis Blues
You've Been a Good Ole Wagon
Cake Walkin' Babies from Home
Careless Love Blues
I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle
At the Christmas Ball
Jazzbo Brown from Memphis Town
Backwater Blues
After You've Gone
Alexander's Ragtime Band
There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
Trombone Cholly
Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Dyin' By the Hour
Me and My Gin
Kitchen Man
Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out
On Revival Day (A Rythmic Spiritual)
Moan, You Moaners
Black Mountain Blues
Shipwreck Blues
Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl
Do Your Duty
Gimmie a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer
Take Me for a Buggy Ride
Down in the Dumps