Listening to some of these ladies recently and when searching for a generic thread, didn't find one.

Wiki sez:

"Classic female blues was an early form of blues music, popular in the 1920s. Popular singers like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters were among the first blues artists to be recorded and were instrumental in spreading the popularity of the blues."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_female_blues

And provides a list of Classic Female Blues singers here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_classic_female_blues_singers

Who do you love from this movement and why? Please post online examples of their music if possible.