News C.C. Rider the Venerator: Lady Smiths of the 1920sBy C.C. RiderOctober 15, 20151 Maybe you’ve heard ‘bout Bessie Smith. Empress of the Blues. Powerhouse in music history. One of the greatest voices of all time. But she wasn’t the only Smith out there. The blues as we know it started with a Smith. And it wasn’t Bessie…