The Complete Recordings Vol. 1: Empress of the BluesAuthor: Smith, Bessie Format: Import Release Date: 09 04 1991 Details: Amazon. ca Bessie Smith wasn't the first of the classic blues singers to record, but once she did, she became the form's dominant force, with a voice that combined clear diction, great power, and a unique capacity to convey complex emotions. Weariness gives way to resilience and sorrow to joyous triumph in Smith's performances, and there's nobility in her delivery of even the