Eleanora Fagan, “Billie Holiday” also known as Lady Day, born April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Billie Holiday is known as one the most talented and influential jazz/blues singers of all time with a greatly thriving career spanning 24 years until her battles with substance abuse sadly got the best of her. She died in Metropolitan Hospital in New York City on July 17, 1959 (age 44) due to “congestion of the lungs complicated by heart failure.” She was put under arrest while in the hospital for illegal possession of drugs. She made her final public appearance at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City on May 25, 1959. Many years after her death (41 if anyone’s counting) Billie Holiday was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their Early Influences category. Though her career predates the birth of Rock and Roll she and other similar artist had a strong effect on the genre that was to become Rock and Roll.
Starting very early in life Billie found her comfort in music. In the late 1920’s she and her mother moved to New York City and around the 1930’s Billie began singing in local clubs. She was discovered at the age of 18 by producer John Hammond while performing in a jazz club in Harlem. “Your Mother’s Son-In-Law” was her first commercial release in 1934. Holiday was known for her distinctive and unique lyrical phrasing and her like-wise distinctive and expressive voice sometimes described as melancholy. In 1935 she began recording with jazz pianist Teddy Wilson making several singles such as “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” and “Miss Brown to You”. It was around this time when she met tenor sax player Lester Young who gave her the nickname “Lady Day” in 1937. The following year she broke new ground with Artie Shaw and his orchestra becoming one of the first female African American singers to work with a white orchestra. Due to the mind-state of the times Holiday lived in promoters objected to her because of her race and vocal style causing her to become frustrated and leave the orchestra.In 1939 Holiday debuted what would quickly become two of her most famous songs, “God Bless the Child” and “Strange Fruit” which is considered one of her signature ballads. “Strange Fruit” is based on a poem by teacher Abel Meeropol which condemns racism and specifically the lynching of African Americans. Meeropol put his poem to music and performed it as a protest song accompanied by his wife in New York. “Strange Fruit” produced great controversy due to the lyrical subject matter including graphic details and was banned from some radio stations which seemed to help make it a hit. It was released by a smaller record company due to Columbia Records’ refusal to release it deeming the song inflammatory. Though many covers were produced by various artists, Holiday's rendition was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978.
She signed with Decca Records in 1944 and recorded her hit “Lover Man”. Due to a drug conviction and habitual narcotic abuse she was blacklisted which made her unable to be licensed to play anywhere else that served alcohol. She still performed at concert hall and had a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall and later with help was able to perform at New York’s Club Ebony. Her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues was published in 1956. In 1972 it was made into a film starring Diana Ross.
She recorded her last album in 1958, Lady in Satin with the Ray Ellis Orchestra featuring her rougher sounding voice as a result of her drug habits. Her final performance was on May 25, 1959 in New York City. Shortly after this performance she was admitted to the hospital for the heart and liver problems that would sadly claim her. Over 3,000 people turned out to her funeral to say good-bye at St. Paul Apostle Roman Catholic Church held on July 21, 1959.
~C
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