Bessie Smith in flapper gear
Bessie Smith was a star in the 1920s, which meant fabulous fashion.
Bessie Smith singing
According to most, Bessie Smith was an impeccable, versatile performer.
W.C. Handy
The Russell Simmons of the blues, his legacy was less for his music and more for his marketing skills.
Louis Armstrong
His trumpet playing is iconic in American popular music, and his career overlapped very beneficially with both Smith's and Handy's work.