Who is Billie Holiday?
Billie Holiday was a jazz and swing singer from the United States. Holiday was nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and music partner, Lester Young. She had a groundbreaking impact on jazz and pop singing.
Her vocal technique, which jazz instrumentalists heavily influenced, pioneered a new approach to phrasing and tempo manipulation. Her vocal delivery and improvisational abilities were well-known.
| About | Info |
| Full Name | Billie Holiday |
| Profession | Jazz and Swing Singer |
| Popular For | Being a Singer |
Birthday and Zodiac
| Date of Birth | April 7, 1915 |
| Date of Death | July 17, 1959 (44 years old) |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Birth Place | Philadelphia |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | N/A |
Education
| School/University | St. Frances Academy House of the Good Shepherd |
Physical Stats
| Height | 1.65 m |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Weight | 95 pounds (when she was near her death) |
Net Worth
| Estimated net worth | $1,000,000 |
Family and Relationship
| Father | Clarence Halliday |
| Mother | Sarah Julia “Sadie” Fagan |
| Spouse | Jimmy Monroe, Joe Guy and Louis Mckay |
| Children | Not Available |
| Siblings | Not Available |
Social Media
| Social Media | Not Available |
Billie Holiday Biography Timeline
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter, considered one of the greatest jazz vocalists ever. She had a distinctive voice and a style that was both expressive and emotional. Here is a timeline of the significant events in Billie Holiday’s life:
- April 7, 1915: Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1929: At 14, Holiday is sent to a reform school in upstate New York for truancy.
- 1933: Holiday begins performing in Harlem nightclubs, where John Hammond, a record producer, discovers her.
- 1935: Holiday records her first hit, “What a Little Moonlight Can Do”.
- 1939: Holiday records “Strange Fruit,” a powerful and haunting song about lynching in the American South.
- 1941: Holiday begins using heroin, which becomes a lifelong struggle for her.
- 1947: Holiday is arrested for drug possession and serves a year in prison.
- 1956: Holiday publishes her autobiography, “Lady Sings the Blues”.
- 1959: Holiday dies of liver cirrhosis on July 17, at 44.
Billie Holiday’s legacy lives on in her music and her impact on jazz and popular music. Her songs continue to inspire new generations of musicians, and her life and struggles have been the subject of numerous books, films, and documentaries. Despite her challenges, Billie Holiday remains an iconic figure and an inspiration to many.
Early Life
Her birth name was Eleanora Fagan. On April 7, 1915, she was born in Philadelphia to an African-American teen couple named Sarah Julia “Sadie” Fagan and Clarence Halliday. Sarah relocated to Philadelphia at 19 after being evicted from her parent’s home in Baltimore’s Sandtown-Winchester neighbourhood due to her pregnancy. Clarence left his family not long after Eleanora was born to pursue a career as a jazz banjo player and guitarist.
Eleanora had a tough childhood growing up in Baltimore. Her mother frequently worked on passenger railroads, called “transportation employment” at the time. Due to her mother’s absences, she was reared mainly by Martha Miller and spent her first ten years of life in the care of others.
Holiday was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in early 1959, and Billie Holiday died on July 17, 1959, at 44, due to heart failure at Metropolitan Hospital in New York. She died in the bed where she had been arrested for illegal possession of narcotics just over a month before, as she lay mortally ill in the room from which a court had removed a police guard only a few hours before her death.
Education
She routinely missed school after starting kindergarten at St. Frances Academy. Her absenteeism led to her being taken before a juvenile court on January 5, 1925, when she was nine. On March 19, 1925, Billie was born in the House of the Good Shepherd, a Catholic reform institution, where she was christened.
On October 3, 1925, she was “paroled” to her mother after nine months of care. Sadie had started the East Side Grill, a restaurant where her mother and daughter worked long hours. She dropped out of school when she was eleven years old.
Net Worth
Holiday’s fortune was estimated to be worth roughly $1,000,000, with an annual income of $121,212. Her 3rd husband, Louis McKay, inherited Holliday’s estate, including her earnings, because she died intestate under New York law.
Professional Career
The Holiday began performing in Harlem nightclubs when he was a teenager. “Your Mother’s Son-In-Law” and “Riffin’ the Scotch” was her first hit.
In Duke Ellington’s musical short film Symphony in Black: A Rhapsody of Negro Life, Holiday had a brief role as a woman tortured by her lover in 1935. In her scene, she sang “Saddest Tale.”
Holiday was contracted to Brunswick by John Hammond in 1935 to record pop tunes in the swing style with pianist Teddy Wilson for the burgeoning jukebox market.
After “Strange Fruit,” the popularity of the Holiday skyrocketed. She was mentioned in Time magazine.
The Holiday was at the height of her commercial success by 1947, having earned $250,000 in the previous three years. In the 1946 and 1947 DownBeat polls, she was ranked second, her most excellent ranking. On July 6, 1947, she was voted fifth in Billboard’s annual college poll of “female vocalists” (Jo Stafford was first). Holiday was voted most popular by Metronome magazine in 1946.
Holiday was arrested for narcotics possession at her New York residence on May 16, 1947. Holiday was freed early because of his exemplary behaviour (on March 16, 1948). Holiday’s health had deteriorated by the 1950s due to her drug usage, alcoholism, and relationships with abusive men. She discussed her attempts to overcome her hardships on The Comeback Story’s ABC reality series.
In 1956, William Dufty ghostwrote Holiday’s autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues.
During her lifetime, Billie Holiday won numerous Esquire Magazine accolades. In addition to the Grammy Hall of Fame, Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, she was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Billie Holiday’s statue was unveiled in Baltimore in 1985, and it was finished in 1993 with additional panels of pictures inspired by her famous song Strange Fruit.
Relationships
Billie was married several times to different persons in her lifetime. Firstly, she tied the knot with Jimmy Monroe in 1941. After catching her husband, Jimmy Monroe, with lipstick on his collar, she penned “Don’t Explain.” She married Joe Guy in 1951, but the relationship ended in 1957.
During the Holiday, they married Mafia enforcer Louis McKay in March 1957. McKay was abusive, and they were estranged but not divorced at her death. McKay inherited Holliday’s estate and earnings because she died intestate under New York law.
Trivia
- Billie Holiday was a jazz and swing singer from the United States.
- Holiday was nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and music partner, Lester Young.
- Her birth name was Eleanora Fagan.
- On April 7, 1915, she was born in Philadelphia to an African-American teen couple named Sarah Julia “Sadie” Fagan and Clarence Halliday.
- Eleanora had a tough childhood growing up in Baltimore. Her mother frequently worked on passenger railroads, called “transportation employment” at the time.
- Billie Holiday I died on July 17, 1959, at 44, due to heart failure with liver cirrhosis at Metropolitan Hospital in New York.
- She routinely missed school after starting kindergarten at St. Frances Academy. Her absenteeism led to her being taken before a juvenile court on January 5, 1925, at nine years old.
- On March 19, 1925, she was taken to the House of the Good Shepherd, a Catholic reform institution, where she was christened.
- She dropped out of school when she was eleven years old.
- Holiday’s fortune was estimated to be worth roughly $1,000,000, with an annual income of $121,212.
- Her 3rd husband, Louis McKay, inherited Holliday’s estate, including her earnings, because she died intestate under New York law.
- During her lifetime, Billie Holiday won numerous Esquire Magazine accolades.
- In addition to the Grammy Hall of Fame, Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, she was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
- Billie Holiday’s statue was unveiled in Baltimore in 1985, and it was finished in 1993 with additional panels of pictures inspired by her famous song Strange Fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan, was a renowned American jazz and swing singer who became one of the most influential vocalists in the history of jazz music.
Billie Holiday had heart failure caused by liver cirrhosis and died at 44 on July 17, 1959.
Billie Holiday was 44 years old at the time of her death.
Billie Holiday is popularly known for the song “Carelessly”.
No, she didn’t have her children.
Holiday’s fortune was estimated to be worth roughly $1,000,000, with an annual income of $121,212. Her 3rd husband, Louis McKay, inherited Holliday’s estate, including her earnings, because she died intestate under New York law.
Some of Billie Holiday’s famous songs include “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” “Summertime,” “Fine and Mellow,” and “Lover Man.”
Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915.
Billie Holiday she was passed away on July 17, 1959, at 44.
Billie Holiday she had a unique vocal style characterized by her soulful, passionate delivery, improvisation, and ability to convey deep emotions through her singing.
Billie Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” became an anthem for the civil rights movement due to its powerful lyrics addressing racism and lynchings in America.
“Strange Fruit” is a powerful protest song highlighting the horrors of racial violence and lynching in the United States. It remains one of Billie Holiday’s most enduring and impactful songs.
Billie Holiday’s innovative vocal style and passionate delivery profoundly influenced future generations of jazz and famous music artists. She remains an icon in the music industry.
Yes, Billie Holiday released numerous albums throughout her career, including “Lady Sings the Blues,” “Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport,” and “Billie Holiday Sings.”
Billie Holiday she had a challenging childhood, growing up in poverty and experiencing a troubled family life. She started singing in nightclubs at a young age, eventually launching her career.
Several books and documentaries about Billie Holiday provide insights into her life and career. Some notable examples include “Lady Sings the Blues” (her autobiography), “Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth” by John Szwed, and the documentary “Billie” directed by James Erskine.