Blues Gals: Bessie Smith

Nicknamed "The Empress of the Blues," Bessie Smith was born in 1894 (some say 1892) and formed her own act by 1913. She was signed by Columbia Records in 1923. Though she died in 1937, she had several recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame recently, including one of my favorites, "St. Louis Blues," which features Louis Armstrong as well.

Give a listen to St. Louis Blues here:

Gospel Gals: Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples began singing with the legendary Staple Singers, her family's band, in 1950. Her career has spanned six plus decades, and continues to go strong to this day. Go, Mavis, go! (More iPad art)

Gospel Gals: Mahalia Jackson

"The Queen of Gospel," Mahalia Jackson was possessed of a powerful contralto and influenced untold numbers of gospel and r&b singers. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "A voice like this one comes not once in a century, but once in a millennium." True. True. (More iPad art)

Gospel Gals: Sister Rosetta Tharpe

The "Original Soul Sister," Sister Rosetta Tharpe definitely tore it up on both vocals AND guitar. Check out her windmill moves before you think Pete Townshend invented it. More iPad art fun.

Blues Gals: Koko Taylor

More iPad fun. Known as "Queen of the Blues," Koko Taylor's powerful vocal style is unmistakable. Chicago blues at its finest. She was born Cora Walton, so, we share a name. I couldn't be happier!