100 Years of Lady Day

Holiday 100th

On April 7, 1915, Eleanora Fagan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The little girl would have a difficult childhood and later a tragic life, but she would grow up to brighten the world as Billie Holiday, or as jazz saxophonist Lester Young nicknamed her, “Lady Day.”

In honor of Holiday’s 100th birthday, several articles reflect on her life, such as CBS Sunday Morning, a Daily Telegraph listing of her top 10 songs, and a MacLean‘s article about “the voice that launched a thousand voices.” But of course the best celebration is to listen to her music.

In this video, Holiday performs “Fine and Mellow” on CBS in 1957. [Update: the video and a BBC documentary about her life are no longer available.]

Happy birthday Lady Day.

What is your favorite Billie Holiday song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Louis Armstrong’s Genius and “West End Blues”
  • Barbara Dane’s Cool Musical Legacy: “Wild Woman,” “Gasser,” “Hard-Hitter”
  • Charlie Haden’s “Spiritual”
  • History of Jazz Piano in One Video
  • Ella Fitzgerald: A-Tisket A-Tasket
  • Take Five Dave Brubeck
  • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Author: chimesfreedom

    Editor-in-chief, New York.

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