1/6. George Melly reassesses the legacy of Bessie Smith , the hugely influential blues and jazz singer whose 1920s and 30s recordings - from St Louis Blues to Empty Bed Blues and Alexander's Ragtime Band - remain potent and stirring classics of the genre. This first instalment assesses the impact of "mother of the blues" Ma Rainey, who allegedly kidnapped Smith when she was in a travelling troupe. Melly dispels the myth.