Bessie Smith, KATE Smith, and Otis Smith were all renowned blues singers. BESSIE Smith was an American singer-songwriter who was active in the 1920s and 1930s and is often referred to as the 'Empress of the Blues'. KATE Smith was an American singer and radio and television entertainer who was popular from the 1930s to the 1960s. Otis Smith was an American blues singer and guitarist who was active in the 1940s and 1950s. All three Smiths were influential figures in the blues genre and are remembered for their powerful and soulful singing styles.