found: Oliver, P. Bessie Smith, 1959.
found: Feinstein, E. Bessie Smith, 1985:t.p. (Bessie Smith) p. 10 (b. 1894(?))
found: Blue melodies [VR] 1997:container (legendary "Empress of the Blues," Bessie Smith, stars in her only film, the once-notorious musical drama, St. Louis blues; musical short)
found: New Grove dict. of Amer. mus.(Smith, Bessie; b. 4-15-1894, Chattanooga, TN, d. 9-26-37, Clarksdale, MS; blues, jazz, and vaudeville singer)
found: Baker, 8th ed.(Smith, Bessie (actually, Elizabeth); b. 4-15-1894, Chattanooga, Tenn., d. 9-26-37, Clarksville [sic], Miss.; American blues, jazz, and vaudeville singer)
found: Albertson, C. Bessie, 1972:p. 24-25 (Bessie Smith; Bessie her given name, not Elizabeth; b. Chattanooga, Tenn.; date unverifiable, but 4-15-1894 is birthdate on 1923 application for marriage license) p. 223 (d. 9-26-37, Clarksdale, Miss.)
found: Claghorn, C.E. Biog. dict. of jazz(Smith, Bessie; b. 1895, Chattanooga, Tenn., d. 1937, Clarksdale, Miss.)
found: Grimes, S. Backwaterblues, 2000:p. 12 (This book affirms through census records that Bessie Smith was born in 1894, not 1898 as is sometimes seen)
