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Where did Billie Holiday start singing?
Harlem nightclubHoliday began her career singing in a Harlem nightclub and made her first recordings in 1933, with Benny Goodman and others. Two years later a series of recordings with Teddy Wilson and members of Count Basie's band brought her wider recognition and launched her career as the leading jazz singer of her time.
When did Billie Holiday first perform?
In her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues, Holiday says, "Mom and Pop were just a couple of kids when they got married; he was 18, she was 16, and I was three." Despite a challenging childhood and no formal musical training, Billie Holiday made her professional singing debut in Harlem nightclubs in 1931.
Where did Billie Holiday get famous?
Harlem jazz clubAt the age of 18, Holiday was discovered by producer John Hammond while she was performing in a Harlem jazz club. Hammond was instrumental in getting Holiday recording work with an up-and-coming clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman.
What city did Billie Holiday make her debut?
Harlem nightclubsJazz singer Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915, in Baltimore, Maryland. She made her professional singing debut in Harlem nightclubs in 1931 and her first recordings in 1933.
What is Billie Holiday's most famous song?
"God Bless the Child" became Holiday's most popular and most covered record.
How much did Billie Holiday make?
Holiday's estate was valued at around $1,000,000 and earned $121,212 per year.
How old was Billie Eilish when she got famous?
"Bad Guy" singer Billie Eilish revealed that she's "grateful" she became famous at 13 years old during an interview with Howard Stern on his Sirius XM show. "There's a part of me that feels I did miss being a teenager — I didn't get to be a teenager, like a normal one," Eilish said.
When was Billie Holiday most popular?
Billie Holiday, born April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a superstar of her day. She first rose to prominence in the 1930's with a unique style that reinvented the conventions of modern singing and performance.
Why is Billie Holiday in Harlem?
Living in extreme poverty, Holiday dropped out of school in the fifth grade and found a job running errands in a brothel. When she was twelve, Holiday moved with her mother to Harlem, where she was eventually arrested for prostitution. Desperate for money, Holiday looked for work as a dancer at a Harlem speakeasy.
What was Billie Holiday's last performance?
Billie Holiday's last performance was at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City on May 25, 1959. That concert was fifty-three days before she tragically succumbed to a drug and alcohol addiction on July 17. Holiday was argueably the most influential singer in the genre of all-time.
When did Billie Holiday perform at the Apollo Theater?
1935 Bessie Smith, “Empress of the Blues,” plays the Apollo on New Year's Eve. 19-year-old Billie Holiday makes her Apollo debut.
Where is Billie Holiday's grave?
St Raymond New Cemetery, New York, NYBillie Holiday / Place of burialA few years ago, we sent NPR's Elizabeth Blair to visit her grave at St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx. And now, to mark the 60th anniversary of Billie Holiday's death, here's Elizabeth's story again. ELIZABETH BLAIR, BYLINE: If you're a dead jazz musician, one of the places to be is New York's Woodlawn Cemetery.
When did Billie Holiday perform at the Apollo Theater?
1935 Bessie Smith, “Empress of the Blues,” plays the Apollo on New Year's Eve. 19-year-old Billie Holiday makes her Apollo debut.
How old was Billie Holiday when she died?
44 years (1915–1959)Billie Holiday / Age at death
What was Billie Holiday's last performance?
Billie Holiday's last performance was at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City on May 25, 1959. That concert was fifty-three days before she tragically succumbed to a drug and alcohol addiction on July 17. Holiday was argueably the most influential singer in the genre of all-time.
How did Billie Eilish become famous?
Billie Eilish, in full Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell, (born December 18, 2001, Los Angeles, California, U.S.), American singer-songwriter who first gained recognition in 2015 for the song “Ocean Eyes” and became, in 2020, the youngest person ever to win a Grammy for album of the year.
Why was Billie Holiday significant?
Billie Holiday was one of the greatest jazz singers from the 1930s to the ’50s. She had no formal musical training, but, with an instinctive sense...
What was Billie Holiday best known for?
As a singer, Holiday was known for her dramatic intensity, which could render the most banal lyric profound. Among the songs identified with her we...
How did Billie Holiday get famous?
Holiday began her career singing in a Harlem nightclub and made her first recordings in 1933, with Benny Goodman and others. Two years later a seri...
What are Billie Holiday's first two albums?
Her first two long play studio albums are released for Norman Granz’s Clef Records, “Billie Holiday Sings” and “An Evening with Billie Holiday”.
When did Etta James get her first Grammy?
On September 18, 1994, the United States Postal Service honored Holiday by introducing a USPS-sponsored stamp. – Etta James receives first Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for her “Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday” album – “The Complete Billie Holiday” wins a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album.
Who wrote the movie Lady Day?
Written and directed by James Erskine, the film is based around interviews recorded on audio cassettes through the 1970s by Linda Lipnack Kuehl. The interviews feature the first-hand recollections of Lady Day’s friends, family members, band members,….
Who was Billie Holiday's vocalist?
Count Basie. The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for a short stint (1937–38), although she was unable to record with the band because of her contract with another record label; mostly, vocals were handled by Jimmy Rushing, one of the most renowned “blues bawlers.”. The rhythm….
Who was the first jazz singer to record with Teddy Wilson?
In 1933 Holiday made her first recordings, with Benny Goodman and others. Two years later a series of recordings with Teddy Wilson and members of Count Basie ’s band brought her wider recognition and launched her career as the leading jazz singer of her time.
Why was Lady Day arrested?
In 1947 Holiday was arrested for a narcotics violation and spent a year in a rehabilitation centre.
Who was the greatest jazz singer of the 1930s?
Billie Holiday was one of the greatest jazz singers from the 1930s to the ’50s. She had no formal musical training, but, with an instinctive sense of musical structure and a deep knowledge of jazz and blues, she developed a singing style that was deeply moving and individual.
Who was the singer who left the Henderson band?
… and Teddy Wilson; and singer Billie Holiday. Hawkins had left the Henderson band in 1933 for what turned out to be a six-year stay in Europe, during which he not only taught most Europeans about jazz and swing but honed and perfected his personal style, which culminated—upon his return to…
What is Billie Holiday famous for?
More than 80 years after making her first recording Billie’s legacy continues to embody what is elegant and cool in contemporary music. Holiday’s complicated life and her genre-defining autobiography “Lady Sings the Blues” made her a cultural icon. The evocative, soulful voice which she boldly put forth as a force for good, turned any song she sang into her own. Today, Billie Holiday is remembered for her musical masterpieces, her songwriting skills, creativity and courageous views on inequality and justice.
Who was Billie Holiday's first producer?
At age 18, after gathering more life experience than most adults, Holiday was spotted by producer John Hammond with whom she cut her first record as part of a studio group led by clarinetist Benny Goodman – then on the verge of his own superstardom. From 1935 to 1941 Holiday’s career accelerated, recording hit after hit with pianist/arranger Teddy Wilson. Simultaneously, in 1936 she began a legendary string of collaborations with tenor sax giant Lester Young, who’s complimentary tone was a perfect trading partner for Billie. They became the best of friends and inseparable, legendary musical partners, even living together with Billie’s mother for a time. Lester would famously christen her “Lady Day” as she would him “The Prez”. By the time Holiday joined Kansas City’s phenomenal Count Basie Orchestra for tours in 1937 she was an unstoppable force, suited for top billing across the United States. In 1938 Artie Shaw invited her to front his Orchestra, making Billie the first black women to work with a white band – an impressive and courageous accomplishment.
Where did Billie Holiday grow up?
Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan Gough) grew up in jazz-soaked Baltimore of the 1920s. In her early teens, the beginning part of her “apprenticeship” was spent singing along with the records of iconoclasts Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong. In 1929 Billie’s mother Sadie Fagan moved to New York in search of better jobs.
When did Billie Holiday join the Count Basie Orchestra?
By the time Holiday joined Kansas City’s phenomenal Count Basie Orchestra for tours in 1937 she was an unstoppable force, suited for top billing across the United States. In 1938 Artie Shaw invited her to front his Orchestra, making Billie the first black women to work with a white band – an impressive and courageous accomplishment.
When did the song God Bless the Child come out?
In 1939 , with Arthur Herzog, Jr., she wrote “God Bless The Child”, a composition that transcends the ages and is now part of the great American songbook and jazz lexicon.
What songs did Billie Holiday sing?
Over the years, Holiday sang many songs of stormy relationships, including "T'ain't Nobody's Business If I Do" and "My Man." These songs reflected her personal romances, which were often destructive and abusive.
Who Was Billie Holiday?
Billie Holiday is considered one of the best jazz vocalists of all time, Holiday had a thriving career as a jazz singer for many years before she lost her battle with substance abuse. Also known as Lady Day, her autobiography was made into the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues. In 2000, Holiday was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
How old was Billie Holiday when she was sent to the House of Good Shepherd?
She was then sent to the House of Good Shepherd, a facility for troubled African American girls, in January 1925. Only 9 years old at the time, Holiday was one of the youngest girls there. She was returned to her mother's care in August of that year. According to Donald Clarke's biography, Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon, ...
When did Billie Holiday return to the moon?
According to Donald Clarke's biography, Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon, she returned there in 1926 after she had been sexually assaulted. In her difficult early life, Holiday found solace in music, singing along to the records of Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong.
Who believed that Holiday was the symbol of everything that America had to be afraid of?
FBN commissioner Harry Anslinger believed Holiday to be the symbol of everything that America had to be afraid of.
Who was the first African American female vocalist to work with a white orchestra?
Holiday toured with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1937. The following year, she worked with Artie Shaw and his orchestra. Holiday broke new ground with Shaw, becoming one of the first female African American vocalists to work with a white orchestra.
Who was Lady Day's mother?
He even lived with Holiday and her mother Sadie for a while. Young gave Holiday the nickname "Lady Day" in 1937 — the same year she joined Basie's band.
Who was Billie Holiday?
This week, we tell about Billie Holiday. She was one of the greatest jazz singers in America . (MUSIC:"God Bless the Child") SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: That was Billie Holiday singing one of her famous songs. She and Arthur Herzog wrote it. Billie Holiday's life was a mixture of success and tragedy.
Who produced Billie Holiday's first record?
Hammond produced Holiday's first records. He got the best jazz musicians to play. They included Benny Goodman on clarinet, Teddy Wilson on piano, Roy Eldridge on trumpet and Ben Webster on saxophone. They recorded many famous songs with Billie Holiday.
What was Billie Holiday's book called?
STEVE EMBER: In nineteen fifty-six, Billie Holiday wrote a book about her life. The book was called “Lady Sings the Blues.”. A friend at the New York Post newspaper, William Dufty, helped her write the book. A few months later, she was arrested again for possessing illegal drugs.
What was the first black singer to perform with a white band?
She was one of the first black singers to perform with a white band. Billie cleaned floors and did other jobs for the prostitutes so she could listen to the records. It was there that young Billie first heard the records of famous black American blues artists of the nineteen twenties.
What was the first club to have both black and white performers?
And it welcomed both black and white people to hear the performers. The nightclub was called Cafe Society . It was here that Billie Holiday first sang a song called "Strange Fruit.". A school teacher named Lewis Allan had written it for her.
How long did Billie go to jail?
One day, she refused the sexual demands of a man. She was arrested and spent four months in prison. STEVE EMBER: Two years later, Billie's mother became sick and could not work. Fifteen-year-old Billie tried to find a job.
Who wrote the book Lady Sings the Blues?
In nineteen fifty-six, Billie Holiday wrote a book about her life called “Lady Sings the Blues”. SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: In the early nineteen thirties, a music producer, John Hammond, heard Billie Holiday sing in a nightclub. He called her the best jazz singer he had ever heard.
Who pursued Billie Holiday?
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics relentlessly pursued Holiday, the chase largely fueled by commissioner Harry Anslinger's biases. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics relentlessly pursued Holiday, the chase largely fueled by commissioner Harry Anslinger's biases. In 1939, Billie Holiday rode the service elevator in a midtown Manhattan hotel on her way ...
Where was Billie Holiday sentenced?
Despite telling the judge that she simply wanted the opportunity to recover and find “the cure,” she was sentenced to a year in prison in West Virginia — where she had to kick her habit, but also didn’t sing a note.
Why was Billie Holiday not allowed to use the elevator?
Of course the hotel had a front door, but Holiday wasn’t allowed to use it because she was Black. Little did she know this was just the beginning of the troubles that would follow her that night.
Who recruited George White?
Anslinger wasn’t done with Holiday. He recruited Colonel George White, who was a “sensation as the first and only white man ever to infiltrate a Chinese drug gang, and he even learned to speak in Mandarin so he could chant their oaths with them.”.
Who has covered the song "Song of the Century"?
It has also been covered by many artists over time, including Nina Simone, Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Jeff Buckley.
When was the song Strange Fruit popularized?
Billie Holiday” has revived interest in the hauntingly beautiful and controversial song “Strange Fruit,” which Holiday first popularized in the late 1930s.
How do Louis and Billie sing?
They both also lean into the ‘n’ sound, further adding to the nasality in both tones, singing on the consonants. And, the distinctive growl in Louis' voice is starting to sneak into Billie’s style here.
Who was the first black woman to perform with a white orchestra?
Billie would almost certainly have heard Louis 1929 recording when she recorded this, and at this time, she was working with Artie Shaw as the first black woman to perform with a white orchestra. They toured the South of America, and although Shaw stuck up for Billie, she faced a lot of the realities of segregation and racism.
What is the difference between Billie and Bessie?
They both have very different tones. However, although Bessie is heavier and warmer, they both use twang and fast vibrato to express. Of course, Billie leans into that tone especially vowels vowels like eh on anyway, and Bessie opens up her vowels to give a warmer tone. Bessie also uses a lot of slides into a note
What style of music does Ella Fitzgerald play?
Ella Fitzgerald also does a version within a jazz style and different key but stays pretty true to that original melody.
Who was the most popular blues singer of the 20s and 30s?
Let’s have a look at Bessie Smith and what Billie gained from her. Bessie was the most popular Blues Singers of the 20s and 30s. Nicknamed the Empress of Blues, she had a big voice. The song we will look at is Tain’t Nobody's Bizness If I Do, first recorded by Bessie Smith in 1923 and by Billie in 1949. I’ll play Bessie’s version first and then Billies. Billie's voice is a little different from everything I have just shown you so far. She had stepped entirely away from any expectations and owned it.
Who recorded yours and mine?
Both Louis and Billie recorded the song Yours and Mine. I’m not sure who recorded it first, as they both recorded it in 1937. If my research is correct, Billie probably hadn’t heard his version when she recorded it. However, it’s fascinating to listen to how they both approach voice; the phrasing, articulation and nuances are very similar. Let’s Listen to Louis first.
Who wrote Lady Sings the Blues?
The last song I want to touch on is Lady Sings The Blues. It is my favourite, written by Billie and Herbie Nicols. She recorded this version at the end of her life. She was not in good health at the time, and you can hear the effects her lifestyle and drug abuse has had on her voice. It’s lower, has lost its range and has a distorted husky range. However, at least some of this distortion is a choice. A feature of Billie's career, instead of choosing to hide a flaw, she leans into the sound it creates and uses it to make us feel.
