From the Tent Show to the Parlor: Bessie Smith’s Travels in Her Time
Bessie’s voice was elemental, a force set free from deep inside the world. It was a hot show that night, in that big tent out in the muddy field. Everybody had fun, though most people were tired; it was the end of a long T.O.B.A. circuit tour for the acts and of a long day[…]