Radiating beauty from the depths of her soul, this poetic songstress will forever be remembered for her vocal style and deeply personal and intimate approach to singing.
Gracing the stage with a Gardenia in her hair, the stellar beauty of her persona and voice reflected a difficult life, one filled with heartache and pain. It was in Harlem in the early 1930s that she started singing for tips in various nightclubs. In 1933 when she was discovered by talent scout John Hammond.
Once Holiday started she couldn’t be stopped. Her rustic vocals portrayed a passion and pain about life that left an indelible mark on all audiences. Billie Holiday is among the first black women to work with a white orchestra, an arrangement that went against the tenor of the times.
She co-wrote a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably "God Bless the Child", "Don't Explain", and "Lady Sings the Blues". She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including "Easy Living" and "Strange Fruit".
Lady Day will forever be remembered as an icon in American history. Her vocals will always carry the tune of what it means to live.
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