Died On This Date (September 26, 1937) Bessie Smith
themusicsover Bessie Smith
July 9, 1892 or April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937
Bessie Smith was an influential blues and jazz singer who made an indelible mark on popular music during the ’30s and ’40s. Raised in poverty, Smith and her brother took to the streets of Chattanooga to sing for any change they could get for the family. Her break into show business came in 1912 when she successfully auditioned for a traveling vaudeville group. She settled for being a dancer however, since the group already had a female lead in Ma Rainey. Smith eventually moved over to live theater, making it all the way to Broadway on more than one occasion. She also appeared in the 1929 film version of St. Louis Blues. Known at the time as more of a blues singer, Smith moved over to swing in the early ’30s, thanks to legendary talent scout John Hammond, who brought her in to record for Okeh Records. Bessie Smith was killed following a horrific car accident. She had been the passenger in a car whose driver had likely fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the accident. Smith was 43 years old at the time of her death.
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Amy Farris was an Austin fiddler who in recent years was living in Los Angeles. Throughout her career, the much-respected musician and singer had collaborated with a who’s-who of Austin and Los Angeles musicial fixtures. That list includes Brian Wilson, Peter Case, Alejandro Escovedo, Exene Cervenka and Kelly Willis. As a session player in Los Angeles, she played on musical tracks on such television shows as Mad Men and CSI: Miami. She was also part of Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, both the album and the current tour. Several online sources have speculated that Farris may have committed suicide. Official cause of death was not immediately released. She was 40 years old.
Larry Fuller was a bluegrass guitar picker who was well known in and around the Kentucky music community. Fuller began his music career during the 1970s when he was working as a coal miner. A job injury in 1986 forced him out of the mines and into music full time. A traditionalist, Fuller’s music was rooted deep in the mountain music he grew up hearing around him. Larry Fuller’s life came to a tragic end when he died in a fire that engulfed his tour bus. For reasons unknown, Fuller was inside the bus as it was parked in his driveway around 2 am. He was 58 years old.
