In this week’s DIVA Dating Digest, we take a look at the love life of the Empress of the Blues
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY HBO
This LGBT+ History Month, we are stepping back in time to the early 20th century, where the echoes of Bessie Smith’s incomparable voice reverberated through the annals of blues history. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1894, Bessie’s journey from busking on the streets to becoming the preeminent voice of the blues is nothing short of remarkable.
Rising to prominence during the Jazz Age, she recorded over 160 songs for Columbia Records and became the highest-paid African American entertainer of her time. Her raw, emotive delivery tackled themes of love, heartbreak, and societal struggles. As a trailblazer for African American artists, Bessie Smith’s legacy extends beyond her unparalleled vocal talent, making her a symbol of resilience and a key figure in the cultural evolution of American music during a pivotal era.
The star was a famous bisexual icon, having relationships with both men and women throughout her career. In this week’s DIVA Dating Digest, we take a look at some of the known lovers she had.
Jack Gee (1923-29)
Bessie met Jack Gee when she began performing at the nightclub where he worked as a security guard. The pair began dating just before Bessie’s career really took off, and were together when Bessie signed her first record deal. While we don’t know too much about their marriage, we do know that the couple were routinely unfaithful to each other and would fight often.
Although Jack liked the money which came from being married to Bessie, he allegedly couldn’t accept her bisexuality. The final straw that led to their divorce was when Bessie found out that Jack was having an affair with singer Gertrude Saunders, and was using her own money to fund his lover’s show.
Lillian Simpson
Lillian Simpson was a previous schoolmate of Bessie, and it’s believed that the pair had an intense romantic affair. Lillian became one of Bessie’s chorus girls, and the pair became lovers. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, and in one fight Lillian even threatened to kill herself. Very little is known about their relationship as it was kept so private due to fears of how Jack would react if he found out. It was in fact this fear which led to their breakup.
Jack eventually did find out about Bessie’s affairs with women when he found her with a dancer named Marie.
Richard Morgan
In the 1930s, Bessie married Richard Morgan, a man she had met and had an affair with during her marriage to Jack. We know very little about the nature of their relationship. In 1937, Bessie and Richard were driving to a show outside of Memphis at 3 am when they crashed into a parked truck. Bessie tragically passed as a result of her injuries.
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