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Ella Fitzgerald
photo by Carl Van Vechten, 1940
photo by Carl Van Vechten, 1940
Background information
Birth name Ella Jane Fitzgerald
Also known as First Lady of Song; Lady Ella
Born April 25, 1917 (1917-04-25)
Newport News, Virginia, U.S.
Died June 15, 1996 (aged 79)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Ballads, swing, traditional pop, vocal jazz
Occupation(s) Vocalist
Years active 1934-1993
Label(s) Capitol, Decca, Pablo, Reprise, Verve
Website www.EllaFitzgerald.com

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as "Lady Ella" and the "First Lady of Song", is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. Carl Van Vechten ( June 17, 1880 &ndash December 21, 1964) was an American Writer and Photographer who was a Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other A ballad is a Poem usually set to Music; thus it often is a story told in a Song. Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of Jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of Jazz Singing can be defined by the instrumental approach to the voice where the singer can match the instruments in their stylistic approach to the lyrics improvised or otherwise or In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Decca Records is a British Record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Pablo Records was a Record label founded Reprise Records is an American Record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, which is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated Verve Records is an American Jazz Record label now owned by the Universal Music Group. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Jazz royalty is a term that reflects the many great Jazz musicians who have some sort of royal, aristocratic or other honorific title added to their names or Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The twentieth century of the Common Era began on [1]

With a vocal range spanning three octaves, she was noted for her purity of tone, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. Human voices may be classified according to their vocal range &mdash the highest and lowest pitches that they can produce In Music, an octave ( is the the use of which is "common in most musical systems In Vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with random vocables and syllables or without words at all She is widely considered to have been one of the supreme interpreters of the Great American Songbook. Great American Songbook (sometimes abbreviated as "GAS" is a term referring to the interrelated music of Broadway musical theater [2]

Over a recording career that lasted 57 years, she was the winner of 13 Grammy Awards, and was awarded the National Medal of Art by Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the Congress of the United States in 1984 for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993

Contents

Biography

Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Virginia, the child of a common-law marriage between William and Temperance “Tempie” Fitzgerald. Common-law marriage (or Common law marriage) sometimes called de facto marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute [3] The pair separated soon after her birth and she and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York, with Tempie's boyfriend, Joseph Da Silva. Yonkers is the fourth largest city in the US State of New York (behind Rochester, Buffalo, and New York City) and the largest city in Fitzgerald's half-sister, Frances Da Silva, was born in 1923. As a child, Fitzgerald was placed in the Colored Orphan Asylum in Riverdale, the Bronx. Riverdale (population approximately 45000 according to the 2000 U [4]

In her youth, she wanted to be a dancer, although she loved listening to jazz recordings by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby and The Boswell Sisters. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby ( May 3, 1903 &ndash October 14, 1977) was an Academy Award winning American Popular The Boswell Sisters were a Close harmony singing group that attained national prominence in the USA in the 1930s She idolized the lead singer of the Boswell Sisters, Connee Boswell, later saying, "My mother brought home one of her records, and I fell in love with it. . . . I tried so hard to sound just like her. "[5]

In 1932, her mother died from a heart attack. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply [3] After staying with Da Silva for a short time, she was taken in by Tempie's sister, Virginia. Shortly afterward, Da Silva suffered a heart attack and died, and her sister Frances joined Ella in Virginia.

Following these traumas, Fitzgerald's grades dropped dramatically, and she frequently skipped school. Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event. At one point, she worked as a lookout at a bordello and also with a Mafia-affiliated numbers runner. For the 2008 film of this name see The Brothel. For the television series of this name see Cathouse The Series. The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a Sicilian Criminal Secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century [6] After getting into trouble with the police, she was taken into custody and sent to a reform school. Eventually she escaped from the reformatory, and for a time was homeless. Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing because they cannot afford or are otherwise unable to maintain regular safe and adequate shelter

She made her singing debut at 17 on November 21, 1934 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African American cultural and business center New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous She pulled in a weekly audience at the Apollo and she won the opportunity to compete in one of the earliest of its famous "Amateur Nights. " She had originally intended to go on stage and dance but, intimidated by the Edwards Sisters, a local dance duo, she opted to sing instead, in the style of Connie Boswell. She sang Hoagy Carmichael's "Judy" and "The Object of My Affection", a song recorded by the Boswell Sisters, and won the first prize of US$25. Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22 1899 – December 27 1981 was an American Composer, Pianist, singer actor and bandleader The Boswell Sisters were a Close harmony singing group that attained national prominence in the USA in the 1930s The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 00. [7]

Big-band singing

In January 1935, Fitzgerald won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. Myron ("Tiny" Bradshaw ( September 23 1905 &ndash November 26 1958) was an American Jazz and Rhythm and She met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb here for the first time. William Henry Webb, usually known as Chick Webb ( February 10, 1905 – June 16, 1939) was a Jazz and Swing music Webb had already hired singer Charlie Linton to work with the band, and was, The New York Times later wrote, "reluctant to sign her. . . . because she was gawky and unkempt, a diamond in the rough. "[5] Webb offered her the opportunity to test with his band when they played a dance at Yale University. Despite the rough crowd, she was a great success, and Webb hired her to travel with the band for $12. 50 a week.

Ella Fitzgerald photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1940.
Ella Fitzgerald photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1940. Carl Van Vechten ( June 17, 1880 &ndash December 21, 1964) was an American Writer and Photographer who was a

She began singing regularly with Webb's Orchestra through 1935, at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. The Savoy Ballroom located in Harlem, New York City, was a medium sized ballroom for Music and public Dancing that was in operation from 1926 Fitzgerald recorded several hit songs with them, including "Love and Kisses" and "(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" but it was her 1938 version of the nursery rhyme, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", a song she co-wrote, that brought her wide public acclaim. A nursery rhyme is a traditional Song or Poem taught to young children originally in the nursery. A Tisket A Tasket is a Nursery rhyme from the 19th century In 1938 the rhyme was used as the basis for a song written by Al Feldman and Ella Fitzgerald

Chick Webb died on June 16, 1939, and his band was renamed "Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra" with Ella taking the role of bandleader. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fitzgerald recorded nearly 150 sides during her time with the orchestra, most of which, like "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", were "novelties and disposable pop fluff. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure "[5]

The Decca years

In 1942, Fitzgerald left the band to begin a solo career. Now signed to the Decca label, she had several popular hits, while recording with such artists as the Ink Spots, Louis Jordan, and the Delta Rhythm Boys. Decca Records is a British Record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. The Ink Spots were a popular black vocal group that helped define the Musical genre that led to Rhythm & blues and Rock and roll, and the subgenre Louis Jordan ( July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was a pioneering American Jazz, Blues and Rhythm & blues

With Decca's Milt Gabler as her manager, she began working regularly for the jazz impresario Norman Granz, and appearing regularly in his Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. Milton Gabler ( May 20, 1911 - July 20, 2001) was an American Record producer, responsible for many innovations in the recording Norman Granz ( Los Angeles, USA, August 6, 1918 - Geneva, Switzerland, November 22, 2001) was an American Jazz at the Philharmonic or JATP (1944 - 1983 was the title of a series of Concerts and Recordings produced by Norman Granz (1918 - 2001 Fitzgerald's relationship with Granz was further cemented when he became her manager, although it would be nearly a decade before he could record her on one of his many record labels.

With the demise of the Swing era, and the decline of the great touring big bands, a major change in jazz music occurred. The Swing Era was the period of time (1935&ndash1946 when Big band Swing music was the most popular music in America. A big band is a type of Musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late The advent of bebop caused a major change in Fitzgerald's vocal style, influenced by her work with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter It was in this period that Fitzgerald started including scat singing as a major part of her performance repertoire. In Vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with random vocables and syllables or without words at all While singing with Gillespie, Fitzgerald recalled, "I just tried to do [with my voice] what I heard the horns in the band doing. "[7]

Her 1945 scat recording of "Flying Home" would later be described by The New York Times as "one of the most influential vocal jazz records of the decade. . . . Where other singers, most notably Louis Armstrong, had tried similar improvisation, no one before Miss Fitzgerald employed the technique with such dazzling inventiveness. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter "[5] Her be-bop recordings of "Oh, Lady be Good!" (1947) and "How High the Moon" were similarly popular, and increased her reputation as one of the leading jazz vocalists. Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody " Oh Lady be Good! " is a 1924 (see 1924 in music) song by George and Ira Gershwin. " How High the Moon " is a Jazz standard with Lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis.

Perhaps responding to criticism, and under pressure from Granz (who felt that Fitzgerald was given unsuitable material to record during this period), her last years on the Decca label saw Fitzgerald recording a series of duets with pianist Ellis Larkins, released in 1950 as Ella Swings Gershwin. Ellis Larkins ( 15 May 1923 &ndash 30 September 2002) was an African-American Jazz pianist born in Baltimore

Move to Verve and mainstream success

Fitzgerald on the cover of her landmark 1956 album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook.
Fitzgerald on the cover of her landmark 1956 album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook is a 1956 (see 1956 in music) album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald

Still performing at Granz's JATP concerts, by 1955, Fitzgerald left Decca, and Granz, now her manager, created Verve Records around her. Jazz at the Philharmonic or JATP (1944 - 1983 was the title of a series of Concerts and Recordings produced by Norman Granz (1918 - 2001 Verve Records is an American Jazz Record label now owned by the Universal Music Group.

Fitzgerald later described the period as strategically crucial, saying, "I had gotten to the point where I was only singing be-bop. I thought be-bop was 'it', and that all I had to do was go some place and sing bop. But it finally got to the point where I had no place to sing. I realized then that there was more to music than bop. Norman. . . . felt that I should do other things, so he produced The Cole Porter Songbook with me. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook is a 1956 (see 1956 in music) album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald It was a turning point in my life. "[5]

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook, released in 1956, was the first of eight "Songbooks" Fitzgerald would record for Verve at irregular intervals from 1956 to 1964. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook is a 1956 (see 1956 in music) album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald The composers and lyricists spotlighted on each album, taken together, represent the greatest part of the cultural canon known as the Great American Songbook. This article is not about Literary canons of influential works of fiction but about the concept of a canon which defines the world of a particular fictional series Fitzgerald's song selections ranged from standards to rarities, and represented an attempt by Fitzgerald to cross over into a non-jazz audience.

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook was the only Songbook on which the composer she interpreted played with her. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook is a 1957 album (see 1957 in music) by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Duke Ellington Duke Ellington and his longtime collaborator Billy Strayhorn wrote two new pieces of music for the album: "The E and D Blues" and a four-movement musical portrait of Fitzgerald. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader. William Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn ( November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American Composer, Pianist

The Songbook series ended up becoming the singer's most critically acclaimed and commercially successful work, and probably her most significant offering to American culture. The New York Times wrote in 1996, "These albums were among the first pop records to devote such serious attention to individual songwriters, and they were instrumental in establishing the pop album as a vehicle for serious musical exploration. "[5]

A few days after Fitzgerald's death, New York Times columnist Frank Rich wrote that in the Songbook series Fitzgerald "performed a cultural transaction as extraordinary as Elvis's contemporaneous integration of white and African-American soul. Frank Rich (born June 2, 1949 in Washington DC) is a Columnist for The New York Times who focuses on American politics African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Here was a black woman popularizing urban songs often written by immigrant Jews to a national audience of predominantly white Christians. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth "[6] Frank Sinatra was moved out of respect for Fitzgerald to block Capitol Records from re-releasing his own recordings in a similar, single composer vein. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as

Ella Fitzgerald also recorded albums exclusively devoted to the songs of Porter and Gershwin in 1972 and 1983, the albums being Ella Loves Cole and Nice Work If You Can Get It, respectively. Ella Loves Cole is a 1972 (see 1972 in music) studio album by Ella Fitzgerald. Nice Work If You Can Get It is a 1983 (see 1983 in music) studio album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the pianist A later collection devoted to a single composer was released during her time with Pablo Records, Ella Abraça Jobim, featuring the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Pablo Records was a Record label founded Ella Abraça Jobim or Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook is a 1981 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, devoted to the Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim ( January 25, 1927 in Rio de Janeiro &ndash December 8, 1994 in Brazil) also

While recording the 'Songbooks' and the occasional studio album, Fitzgerald toured 40 to 45 weeks per year in the United States and internationally, under the tutelage of Norman Granz. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Norman Granz ( Los Angeles, USA, August 6, 1918 - Geneva, Switzerland, November 22, 2001) was an American Granz helped solidify her position as one of the leading live jazz performers. [5]

In the mid-1950s, Fitzgerald became the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, after Marilyn Monroe had lobbied the owner for the booking. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa For the Toronto tavern see El Mocambo. For the plant Mocambo see Theobroma bicolor. Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson, June 1 1926 &ndash August 5 1962 baptized Norma The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. The incident was turned into a play by Bonnie Greer in 2005. Bonnie Greer (born November 16 1948) is a Chicago born playwright and critic

There are several live albums on Verve that are highly regarded by critics: Ella at the Opera House shows a typical JATP set from Fitzgerald, Ella in Rome displays her vocal jazz canon, while Ella in Berlin is still one of her biggest selling albums. Ella at the Opera House is a 1958 (see 1958 in music) Live album by Ella Fitzgerald. Jazz at the Philharmonic or JATP (1944 - 1983 was the title of a series of Concerts and Recordings produced by Norman Granz (1918 - 2001 Ella in Rome The Birthday Concert is a 1958 (see 1958 in music) album by Ella Fitzgerald, with a jazz trio led by Lou Levy, and also featuring Jazz Singing can be defined by the instrumental approach to the voice where the singer can match the instruments in their stylistic approach to the lyrics improvised or otherwise or Ella in Berlin is a live 1960 (see 1960 in music) album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.

Later years

Verve Records was sold to MGM in 1963 for $3 million, and in 1967 MGM failed to renew Fitzgerald's contract. Over the next five years, she flitted between several labels, namely Atlantic, Capitol and Reprise. Atlantic Records ( Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American Record label best known for its many recordings of Rhythm & blues, Rock Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Reprise Records is an American Record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, which is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated A selection of her material at this time represent a departure from her typical jazz repertoire; for Capitol she recorded Brighten the Corner, an album of hymns, Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, an album of traditional Christmas carols, Misty Blue, a country and western-influenced album, and 30 by Ella, a series of six medleys that fulfilled her obligations for the label. Brighten the Corner is a 1967 (see 1967 in music) studio album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas is a 1967 (see 1967 in music) studio album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. A Christmas carol (also called a Noël) is a carol ( Song or Hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, or the winter Misty Blue is a 1968 (see 1968 in music) studio album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald featuring mostly cover versions of recent Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. 30 by Ella is a 1968 (see 1968 in music) studio album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.

The surprise success of the 1972 album Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72 led Granz to found Pablo Records, his first record label since the sale of Verve. Jazz at Santa Monica '72 is a 1972 (see 1972 in music) live album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a jazz trio Pablo Records was a Record label founded Fitzgerald recorded some 20 albums for the label. Her years on Pablo documented the decline in her voice; "She frequently used shorter, stabbing phrases, and her voice was harder, with a wider vibrato," one biographer wrote. [3] Plagued by health problems, Fitzgerald made her last recording in 1991 and her last public performances in 1993. [8]

Personal life

Ella Fitzgerald in 1968. Photo courtesy of the Fraser MacPherson estate
Ella Fitzgerald in 1968. Photo courtesy of the Fraser MacPherson estate

Fitzgerald married twice, though there is evidence that she may have married a third time. John Fraser MacPherson CM ( 10 April 1928 - 27 September 1993) was a Canadian jazz musician born in St In 1941 she married Benny Kornegay, a convicted drug dealer. The marriage was annulled after two years. Annulment in the Catholic Church See also Annulment (Catholic Church In the Roman Catholic Church, a marriage is considered to be a valid contract

Her second marriage, in December 1947, was to the famous bass player Ray Brown, whom she had met while on tour with Dizzy Gillespie's band a year earlier. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. Raymond Matthews Brown ( October 13 1926 &ndash July 2 2002) was an American Jazz Double bassist. Together they adopted a child born to Fitzgerald's half-sister, Francis, whom they christened Ray Brown, Jr. With Fitzgerald often busy touring and recording, the child was largely raised by her aunt, Virginia. Adoption is the act of legally placing a child with a Parent or parents other than those to whom they were born Ray Brown Jr (born October 13, 1949) is an American Jazz and Blues Pianist and Singer The adopted son Fitzgerald and Brown divorced in 1953, due to the various career pressures both were experiencing at the time, though they would continue to perform together. [5]

In July 1957, Reuters reported that Fitzgerald had secretly married Thor Einar Larsen, a young Norwegian, in Oslo. This article is primarily about Reuters prior to its 2008 merger with Thomson Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional (called Christiania from 1624 to 1878 and Kristiania from 1878 to 1924 is the Capital and largest city of Norway. She had even gone as far as furnishing an apartment in Oslo, but the affair was quickly forgotten when Larsen was sentenced to five months hard labour in Sweden for stealing money from a young woman to whom he had previously been engaged. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. [3]

Fitzgerald was also notoriously shy. Trumpet player Mario Bauza, who played behind Fitzgerald in her early years with Chick Webb, remembered that "She didn’t hang out much. When she got into the band, she was dedicated to her music…. She was a lonely girl around New York, just kept herself to herself, for the gig. "[3] When, later in her career, the Society of Singers named an award after her, Fitzgerald explained, "I don't want to say the wrong thing, which I always do. I think I do better when I sing. "[7]

Already blinded by the effects of diabetes, Fitzgerald had both her legs amputated in 1993. Blindness is the condition of lacking Visual perception due to Physiological or Neurological factors Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or Surgery. In 1996 she died of the disease in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 79. She is interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. Inglewood Park Cemetery founded in 1905 is at 720 E Florence Avenue in Inglewood California. Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. Several of Fitzgerald's awards, significant personal possessions and documents were donated to the Smithsonian Institution, the library of Boston University, the Library of Congress, and the Schoenberg Library at UCLA. The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of For similarly-named academic institutions see Education in Boston MA. The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United

Film and television

Fitzgerald shakes hands with President Ronald Reagan after performing in the White House, 1981
Fitzgerald shakes hands with President Ronald Reagan after performing in the White House, 1981

In her most notable screen role, Fitzgerald played the part of singer Maggie Jackson in Jack Webb's 1955 jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by John Randolph "Jack" Webb ( April 2 1920 &ndash December 23 1982) was an Emmy -nominated American Actor Pete Kelly's Blues is a 1955 film based on the 1951 original radio series. The film costarred Janet Leigh and singer Peggy Lee. Janet Leigh (born Jeanette Helen Morrison; July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004) was an American actress. Peggy Lee ( May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American Jazz and popular music singer and Songwriter Even though she had already worked in the movies (she had sung briefly in the 1942 Abbott and Costello film Ride 'Em Cowboy), she was "delighted" when Norman Granz negotiated the role for her, and, "at the time. William (Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose Ride 'Em Cowboy is a 1942 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. . . . considered her role in the Warner Brothers movie the biggest thing ever to have happened to her. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and "[3] Amid The New York Times' pan of the film when it opened in August 1955, the reviewer wrote, "About five minutes (out of ninety-five) suggest the picture this might have been. Take the ingenious prologue. . . . Or take the fleeting scenes when the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald, allotted a few spoken lines, fills the screen and sound track with her strong mobile features and voice. "[9]

Similar to another African-American jazz singer, Lena Horne, Fitzgerald's race precluded major big-screen success. Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (born June 30, 1917) is an iconic American singer and Actress. The term race or racial group usually refers to the concept of categorizing Humans into Populations or groups on the basis of various sets After Pete Kelly's Blues, she appeared in sporadic movie cameos, in St. Louis Blues (1958), and Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960). Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs from "Let No Man Write My Epitaph" is a 1960 (see 1960 in music) Album by the American Jazz singer Much later, she appeared in the 1980s television drama The White Shadow. The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978 to

She also made numerous guest appearances on television shows, singing on the The Frank Sinatra Show, and alongside Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Mel Tormé and many others. The Frank Sinatra Show was an ABC variety and drama series starring Frank Sinatra, premiering on October 18 1957 and last airing on June 27 1958 Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17 1919 &ndash February 15 1965 known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7 1917 &ndash December 25 1995 was an American Singer, Film Actor, television personality Melvin Howard Tormé ( September 13, 1925 &ndash June 5, 1999) nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician known as Perhaps her most unusual and intriguing performance was of the 'Three Little Maids' song from Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta The Mikado alongside Dame Joan Sutherland and Dinah Shore on Shore's weekly variety series in 1963. Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W Operetta is a genre of light Opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE (born 7 November 1926 Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore February 29, 1916 - February 24, 1994) was an American Singer, Actress Fitzgerald also made a one-off appearance alongside Sarah Vaughan and Pearl Bailey on a 1979 television special honoring Bailey. Sarah Lois Vaughan (nicknamed " Sassy " and " The Divine One ") ( March 27 1924, &ndash April Pearl Mae Bailey ( March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress

Fitzgerald also appeared in TV commercials, her most memorable being an ad for Memorex. Established in 1961 in Silicon Valley, Memorex is today a Consumer electronics brand of Imation specializing in disk Recordable media (CD & DVD In the commercials, she sang a note that shattered a glass while being recorded on a Memorex cassette tape. The tape was played back and the recording also broke the glass, asking "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" She also starred in a number of commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken, singing and scatting to the fast-food chain's longtime slogan, "We do chicken right!"

Her final commercial campaign was for American Express, in which she was photographed by Annie Leibovitz. Kentucky Fried Chicken, usually known as KFC, is a chain of Fast food restaurants based in Louisville Kentucky. American Express ( sometimes known as " AmEx " or " Amex " is a diversified global Financial services company headquartered in Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz (ˈliːbəvɪts (born October 2, 1949) is an American Portrait photographer whose style is marked

Discography

Further information: Ella Fitzgerald discography

Collaborations

Fitzgerald's most famous collaborations were with the trumpeter Louis Armstrong, the guitarist Joe Pass, and the bandleaders Count Basie and Duke Ellington. This is a list of the Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald 's original Albums and subsequent collections from her career Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Passalaqua, January 13, 1929, New Brunswick, New Jersey, U William "Count" Basie ( August 21, 1904 &ndash April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, Organist Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader.

Fitzgerald had a number of famous jazz musicians and soloists as sidemen over her long career. In Music, a solo (from the Italian solo, meaning alone) is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer The trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, the guitarist Herb Ellis, and the pianists Tommy Flanagan, Oscar Peterson, Lou Levy, Paul Smith, Jimmy Rowles, and Ellis Larkins all worked with Ella mostly in live, small group settings. Roy David Eldridge ( January 30, 1911 &ndash February 26, 1989) nicknamed "Little Jazz" was an American John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter Mitchell Herbert (Herb Ellis (born August 4, 1921) is an American Jazz Guitarist. Thomas Lee Flanagan ( 16 March, 1930 &ndash 16 November, 2001) was an American Jazz Pianist born in Detroit Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC, CQ, OOnt ( 15 August 1925 – 23 December 2007) was a Canadian Louis A Levy ( March 5, 1928 &ndash January 23, 2001) generally known as Lou Levy, was a Bebop -based pianist who worked Paul Smith ( April 17, 1922) also known as Paul T Smith is a jazz Pianist. Jimmy Rowles ( August 19, 1918 – May 28, 1996) was an American Jazz Pianist who was best known as an accompanist Ellis Larkins ( 15 May 1923 &ndash 30 September 2002) was an African-American Jazz pianist born in Baltimore

Perhaps Fitzgerald's greatest unrealized collaboration (in terms of popular music) was a studio or live album with Frank Sinatra. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor The two appeared on the same stage only periodically over the years, in television specials in 1958 and 1959, and again on 1967's A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim, a show that also featured Antonio Carlos Jobim. A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim was a 1967 television special starring Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, accompanied Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim ( January 25, 1927 in Rio de Janeiro &ndash December 8, 1994 in Brazil) also Pianist Paul Smith has said, "Ella loved working with [Frank]. Sinatra gave her his dressing room on A Man and His Music and couldn’t do enough for her. " When asked, Norman Granz would cite "complex contractual reasons" for the fact that the two artists never recorded together. [3] Fitzgerald's appearance with Sinatra and Count Basie in June 1974 for a series of concerts at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas was seen as an important impetus upon Sinatra returning from his self-imposed retirement of the early 1970s. Caesars Palace, sometimes referred to colloquially as simply Caesars, is a luxury Hotel and Casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally The shows were a great success, and September of that year saw them gross $1,000,000 in two weeks on Broadway, in a triumvirate with the Count Basie Orchestra. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located

Awards, citations and honors

Further information: List of Ella Fitzgerald's awards and accolades

Tributes

Albums

Ann Hampton Callaway, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Patti Austin have all recorded albums in tribute to Fitzgerald. Ann Hampton Callaway (born May 30 1958)is a multiplatinum-selling singer composer lyricist pianist and actress Dee Dee Bridgewater (born May 27, 1950) is an American Jazz Singer. Patti Austin (born August 10 1950, in Harlem, New York) to Edna and Gordon Austin is a Grammy -winning R&B and Jazz Callaway's album To Ella with Love (1996) features fourteen jazz standards made popular by Fitzgerald, and the album also features the trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Wynton Learson Marsalis (b October 18, 1961) is an American Trumpeter and Composer. Bridgewater's album Dear Ella (1997) featured many musicians that were closely associated with Fitzgerald during her career, including the pianist Lou Levy, the trumpeter Benny Powell, and Fitzgerald's second husband, the double bassist Ray Brown. Dear Ella is a 1997 (see 1997 in music) Album by Dee Dee Bridgewater. Bridgewater's following album, Live at Yoshi's, was recorded live on April 25, 1998, what would have been Fitzgerald's 81st birthday. Live at Yoshi's is a live 1998 (see 1998 in music) album by Dee Dee Bridgewater, recorded at Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland California Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Patti Austin's album, For Ella (2002) features 11 songs most immediately associated with Fitzgerald, and a twelfth song, "Hearing Ella Sing" is Austin's tribute to Fitzgerald. The album was nominated for a Grammy. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

In 2007 We All Love Ella, was released, a tribute album recorded for the 90th anniversary of Fitzgerald's birth. We All Love Ella Celebrating The First Lady Of Song is a 2007 tribute album to Ella Fitzgerald, released to mark the 90th anniversary of her birth It featured artists such as Michael Bublé, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Queen Latifah, Ledisi, Dianne Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, and Lizz Wright, collating songs most readily associated with the "First Lady of Song". Michael Steven Bublé (ˈbuːbleɪ or boo-BLAY (born 9 September, 1975) is a Canadian Big band singer and Actor. Natalie Cole (born Natalie Maria Cole on February 6 1950) is an influential American Singer-songwriter and performer who has Chaka Khan (born March 23, 1953) is a multiple Grammy Award -winning American singer known for hit songs such as "I'm Every Woman" "I Feel Gladys Maria Knight, "The Empress of Soul" (born May 28, 1944) is a seven-time Grammy Award -winning American Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian Jazz Pianist and Singer. kd lang, OC (born Kathryn Dawn Lang, November 2, 1961) is a Grammy Award -winning Canadian Singer and Ledisi Anibade Young (ˈlɛdɨsiː is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter from New Orleans. Dianne Reeves (born 23 October 1956) is an American Jazz singer known more for her live performances than her albums Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15 1946 in Tucson Arizona) is an American popular vocalist and Entertainer whose vocal styles in a variety Lizz Wright (born January 22, 1980) is an American Jazz singer and Composer.

The folk singer Odetta's album To Ella (1998) is dedicated to Fitzgerald, but features no songs associated with her. Odetta (born December 31, 1930) is an African-American singer actress guitarist songwriter and a human rights activist often referred to as "The Odetta (Silverwolf album redirects here - other self-titled albums by Odetta on different labels are the 1963 compilation Odetta (Everest album; and 1967 album Fitzgerald's long serving accompanist Tommy Flanagan affectionately remembered Fitzgerald on his album Lady be Good. Thomas Lee Flanagan ( 16 March, 1930 &ndash 16 November, 2001) was an American Jazz Pianist born in Detroit . . For Ella (1994).

Fitzgerald is also referred to on the 1987 song "Ella, elle l'a" by French singer France Gall, the 1976 Stevie Wonder hit "Sir Duke" from his album Songs in the Key of Life, and the song "I Love Being Here With You", written by Peggy Lee and Bill Schluger. Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( France Gall (born Isabelle Genevieve Marie Anne Gall on 9 October 1947 in Paris) is a popular French Yé-yé singer Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13 1950 name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris) is an " Sir Duke " is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder, from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. Songs in the Key of Life is an album by Stevie Wonder, released on Motown on September 28, 1976 (see 1976 in music Peggy Lee ( May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American Jazz and popular music singer and Songwriter Sinatra's 1986 recording of "Mack the Knife" from his album L.A. Is My Lady (1984), includes a homage to some of the song's previous performers, along the lines dreamed up on by Fitzgerald on her 1960 album Ella in Berlin, he includes 'Lady Ella' herself. Mack the Knife or The Ballad of Mack the Knife, originally Die Moritat von Mackie Messer, is a song composed by Kurt Weill LA Is My Lady is a 1984 (see 1984 in music) album by Frank Sinatra, featuring arrangements by Quincy Jones. Ella in Berlin is a live 1960 (see 1960 in music) album by the American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.

USPS stamp and Yonkers statue

There is a statue of Fitzgerald in Yonkers, the city in which she grew up. It is located south of the main entrance to the Amtrak/Metro-North Railroad station. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, or MTA Metro-North Railroad, or more commonly Metro-North, is a Suburban commuter rail service On January 10, 2007, the United States Postal Service announced that Fitzgerald would be honored with her own 39 cent postage stamp which was released in April 2007; the stamp was part of the Postal Service's Black Heritage series. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Quotes

Quotations about Fitzgerald

Quotations of Fitzgerald

References

  1. ^ Scott Yanow. Ella Fitzgerald. allmusic. com. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king
  2. ^ Vickie Smith, Jazz Vocalist. Dedicated To Ella. VickieSmith. com. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Nicholson, Stuart (1993). Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography of the First Lady of Jazz. New York: C. Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0-575-40032-3.  
    For many years Fitzgerald's birthdate was thought to be on the same date one year later in 1918 — and is still listed as such in some sources — but research by Nicholson has established 1917 as the correct year of her birth.
  4. ^ Bernstein, Nina. "Ward of the State;The Gap in Ella Fitzgerald's Life", The New York Times, June 23, 1996. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Accessed May 3, 2008. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common "Her most recent biographer, Stuart Nicholson, has surmised that the authorities caught up with her and placed her in the Colored Orphan Asylum in Riverdale. "
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Stephen Holden. "Ella Fitzgerald, the Voice of Jazz, Dies at 79", The New York Times, 16 Jun 1996. Retrieved on 2008-04-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus  
  6. ^ a b Frank Rich (19 Jun 1996). Journal; How High the Moon. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-04-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus
  7. ^ a b c Jim Moret. "‘First Lady of Song’ passes peacefully, surrounded by family", CNN, 15 Jun 1996. Retrieved on 2007-01-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain  
  8. ^ Hugh Davies. "Sir Johnny up there with the Count and the Duke", Telegraph, UK, 31 Dec 2005. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king  
  9. ^ "Webb Plays the Blues", The New York Times, 19 Aug 1955. Retrieved on 2007-01-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes  

External links

Persondata
NAME Fitzgerald, Ella
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lady Ella, The First Lady of Song
SHORT DESCRIPTION American jazz singer
DATE OF BIRTH April 25, 1917
PLACE OF BIRTH Newport News, West Virginia
DATE OF DEATH June 15, 1996
PLACE OF DEATH Beverly Hills, California

Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.
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