Episode 486: Spotlight on Bessie Smith - The Empress of the Blues (part 1 of 1)

Pacific Street Blues Spotlight on Bessie Smith June 14, 2026

1. Janis Joplin / Black Mountain Blues 2. Bob Dylan & The Band / Bessie Smith (Happy and Artie Traum) 3. Dory Previn / (Janis Joplin bought a) Stone for Bessie Smith 4. John Coltrane / Bessie's Blues

Influences 5. Ma Rainey / See See Rider Blues (Elvis Presley) 6. Ida Cox / Wild Women Don't Have the Blues 7. Albert Hunter / Down Hearted Blues 8. Maime Smith / Crazy Blues

Duets: Charlie Green of Omaha 9. Bessie Smith w/ Charlie Green / Empty Bed Blues 10. Jim Croce / Charlie Green Play that Slide Trombone 11. Bessie Smith w/ Louis Armstrong (trumpet) / St Louis Blues 12. Clara Smith w/ Bessie Smith / I'm Going Back to My Used to Be

James P Johnson, The Invisible Pianist 13. Bessie Smith w/ James P Johnson / Back Water Blues 14. Fats Waller / Ain't Misbehavin' 15. Count Basie / April in Paris 16. Duke Ellington / Take the A Train (Billy Eckstine)

Lieber & Stoller 17. Wilbert Harrison / Kansas City 18. Kathy Tyree / Hound Dog 19. Elvis Presley / King Creole 20. The Rolling Stones / Down Home Girl 21. The Beatles / Young Blood

John Hammond Sr. Legendary A&R Columbia Records 22. Billie Holiday / Gimme a Beer and a Pigfoot 23. Aretha Franklin / Soulville 24. Bruce Springsteen / Sandy (4th of July) 25. Lionel Hampton w/ Nat Cole Trio / House of Morgan

Covers of Bessie Smith's Music 26. Sue Foley / Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair 27. Ella Fitzgerald / Gulf Coast Blues 28. Della Reese / You've Been a Good Old Wagon 29. Etta James / Don't Cry Baby 30. Bessie Smith / Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do 31. Rhiannon Giddens / You Put the Sugar in My Bowl 32. Rory Block / I'm Down in the Dumps 33. Kenny Wayne Shepherd / Back Water Blues