Bessie Smith, American singer, one of the greatest blues vocalists. Known as the ‘Empress of the Blues,’ she was a bold, supremely confident artist who sang with breathtaking emotional intensity on such songs as ‘Down Hearted Blues,’ ‘Empty Bed Blues,’ and ‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.’
Tweet January 1, 2024 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1928 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1923! By Jennifer Jenkins Director, Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain CC BY 4.0 Please note that this site is only about US law; the copyright terms in other countries may be different.[1] On January 1, 2024, thousands of copyrighted works from 1928 will enter