Biography
Billy Holiday did not have a strong voice and a large vocal range, like a jazz singers. But the charging voice of the American performer filled with drama, tenderness and expression, continues to excite the hearts of the listeners today. Magnetism of performances, the skill of improvisation made her star of global jazz music.Childhood and youth
The singer was born on April 7, 1915 in Baltimore. The parents of the girl became a minor Clarence Holiday, who at that time was 16 years old, and Seydi Faigan - the young mother was 18. At birth, the child received the name of Eleanor and the surname of Mom, since Clarence soon disappeared from the family. The first years of the girl's life were heavy. As a child, the performer did not know the maternal love - the mother left the daughter to raise the great-grandmother and left for New York in search of a better life.
The girl spent a lot of time on the street, suffered punishment from relatives. At the age of 12 (for other sources - 14), Eleanor moved to New York, where she worked in the nightclubs and brothels. One day, in one of them, the girl heard the charming jazz music - it was love at first sight. Fegan agreed with the owner of the institution, which will be removed for free in exchange for free listening of plates.
At the same time, the black American woman opens a world of movies. Cinematographer gave the singer creative pseudonym Billy, named the actress Billy Daving, the films from which Eleanor liked. In his youth, the girl often turned out to be behind bars, which gave birth to dramatic experiences in the soul of the future jazz performer.
Personal life
The first husband of Queza Jazz became Jimmy Monroe, Alphonse, who traveled his spouse to ophum. Soon the singer had a novel with the manager Joe Gair - he "planted" the beloved on heroin. This was the beginning of the end of the brilliant Career of Holiday. Luis McCay became the last bright passion of Billy, who regularly beat his wife and took earned money from her.Music
The work of the singer began in the early 1930s, when she began to perform in the nightclubs of Harlem, in which herself had an illegal trade alcohol during the dry law. Already then, the young performer who has no musical education fascinated the public with a unique voice. Soon the producer John Hammond drew attention to the talented girl. This meeting has changed a lot in the creative biography of the singer.
Embed from getty imagesHammond organized singer's sound recording with Jazzman Benny Gudman in 1933. After 2 years, Billy collaborated with Big Bead County Beisi, however, because of the plump nature, the absence of the discipline of the Bassi girl soon stopped creative relationships with her. In the period 1940-1950, the performer acts in nightclubs, filmed in the cinema, creates its own compositions, produces albums.
At this time, the girl is already known in the world of American jazz along with the creative "opponent" Ella Fitzgerald. The songs of Lover Man, Don't Explain, popular on both sides of the ocean become hits. In 1935, the film "Symphony in Black", where the partner of Holiday became Duk Ellington himself, and the photo of vocalists appear in printed publications.
Throughout life, the actors tormented the problems of racial discrimination. For some clubs, its exotic appearance was not enough "black", Billy even asked for a "dimming" face, for others is not enough. It found a response in the work of the artist. In 1939, the singer recorded the Strange Fruit composition on the text and music of the public figure of Abel Miropolis, dedicated to the topic of the dark-skinned linch.
Holiday changed the presentation of producers about the personality of the jazz singer. Prior to this, it was believed that the dark-skinned artists do not have individuality, are easily interchangeed. Billy declared itself as a charismatic, bright, unique person, whose appearance on stage became an event. The performer was completely given to music, put all the soul into singing.
Favorite celebrity flower was Gardenia. Once, unsuccessfully tightening the curl of the catch, the artist decided to close the hair with a flower. Since then, the singer has invariably performed with a flower accessory. Fans gave Dive nickname Lady Gardens, which accompanied the performer all his life.
Death
Heavy childhood, hobby of drugs and alcohol undermined the health of the performer. After 30 years, Diva had chronic health problems. In the last years of life, the artist could no longer do without heroin. Lady Gardeni died in 1959, when she was 44 years old. The cause of death was the overdose of drugs.Discography
- 1952 - BILLIE HOLIDAY SINGS
- 1953 - An Evening With Billie Holiday
- 1954 - Billie Holiday
- 1955 - Music for Torching
- 1956 - recital
- 1956 - Solitude
- 1956 - Velvet Mood
- 1956 - Lady Sings The Blues
- 1957 - Body and Soul
- 1957 - Songs for Distingué Lovers
- 1958 - Stay with Me