February 1923
Events
- February 16, 1923Bessie Smith Records 'Downhearted Blues,' Sells 800,000 Copies
On February 16, 1923, Bessie Smith recorded 'Downhearted Blues' and 'Gulf Coast Blues' for Columbia Records—her debut session. 'Downhearted Blues' sold approximately 780,000 copies in six months, rescuing Columbia Records from near-bankruptcy and establishing Smith as the 'Empress of the Blues.' Her Columbia contract gave her more creative latitude than most artists of the era and launched a career that would produce over 160 recordings.
- February 16, 1923Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues
Smith's recordings make her the highest-paid Black entertainer of the 1920s.