The Life of Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday, probably the singularly most popular jazz vocalist of all time, was plagued by tragedy her entire life. Her grandfather was one of 17 children of a black Virginia slave impregnated by the white Irish plantation owner. When born in Baltimore, MD, Billie's parents were only teenagers; her mother (Sally Fagan) the tender age of 13. Billie's real name was Eleanora Fagan. Shortly after birth, Billie's father (Clarence Holiday) ran off to go on tour and …

…her vocal talents in such places when she will suddenly reach a high note and come back down to a medium range. The entire song is fairly soft with a slow moving tempo, with a simple melody and harmony, except for the sharp outbursts of the trumpet. Bibliography http://www.cmgww.com/music/holiday/index.html O’Meally, Robert G. Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday. New York, New York: Da Capo Publishing, 2000.