Black History Month

Billie Holiday Jazz singer and actress (1915-1959) Billie Holiday was born in Baltimore Maryland, in 1915. Her parents were Clarence Holiday and Sally Fagan. Her name at birth was Eleanor Fagan Gough and her father would call her by the nickname Bill. She later changed her name to Billie Holiday as she began her singing career. When she was 15, Billie was looking for a job to help pay for her rent. She stopped by Pod’s and Jerry’s on Seventh Avenue in New York to ask for a job as a dancer. However, her future was not bright as a dancer because she only knew two steps. Jerry felt his time was being wasted and wanted her to leave. Before leaving the pianist, who was feeling sorry for her, asked her to sing. She said, “yes”, and sang the song entitled “Trav’Lin All Alone,” an Earl Hines ballad. As she began singing, everybody in the bar became silent and was awed at her beautiful voice. That night would change her life forever. After Pod’s and Jerry’s, she began singing at her new job in the Log Cabin. There she would meet Joe Glaser who would become her agent. She eventually would sign a contract with a major record company, which would lead to increased fame and popularity. Billie recorded with Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson. Later, she began to work with a great saxophonist named Lester Young (Prez). The first time they recorded together, they produced the song; “I must have that man.” In 1937, she also began touring with the Count Basie Band. Billie would later have to leave the band because she was too independent and temperamental. She would release the songs “strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child” in 1939. She earned the nickname “Lady Day” for her unique style of singing the blues. In 1941, she married John Monroe and would become an opium user. She would also marry Joe Guy, Who was Trumpeter and she later became addicted to heroin. She would perform a concert at Town Hall and star in the film “New Orleans.” During 1947, Billie was arrested for drugs and spent eight months in prison. When Billie was 36 years old, she married a third time to Louis McKay, who was abusive to her. She toured Europe in 1954, and was arrested for a second time in 1956. After being arrested again, she would enter a drug clinic. A movie was made about the life of Billie in 1973, called “The Lady Sings the Blues.” Tragically, Billie’s life was cut short on July 17, 1959, at age 44, due to a drug and alcohol addiction.