Hi Adrian,
It would be remiss not to mention the great Bessie Smith, "Empress of the Blues," who influenced just about everyone. NOTE: low-fidelity recordings! All of her great recordings were from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s. Despite the limitations of early recording technology, the power and heartbreak in her voice comes through. One of my favorites of hers is "Empty Bed Blues."
Also Bobby "Blue" Bland and Alberta Hunter. Hunter retired after a long career in the 1920s '30s, worked as a nurse for decades in New York and then had an amazing comeback when she was in her late 70s and 80s(!). There is a great video of a concert she gave, called "Alberta Hunter Live at the Smithsonian".
Give a listen to Lonnie Johnson, a great, sweet-voiced New Orleans singer and guitarist, who lived a long time and recorded with many of the greats--Armstrong, Ellington and others. He was still singing and touring in the 1960s, and I saw him live in a Toronto club in the late '60s. He actually died in Toronto in 1970.
Cheers,
Alan
