Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 in Newport News, Virginia, USA. She was the only child of William Fitzgerald and Temperance “Tempie” Henry.
After finishing school, Ella faced a difficult period following her mother’s death. She spent time in an orphanage and later in a reform school before moving to Harlem. In 1934, she entered an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater intending to dance, but stage fright pushed her to sing instead. Her performance won first prize and opened the door to her professional music career.
Ella soon joined Chick Webb’s orchestra and became the band’s standout vocalist. In 1938, she recorded “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” a playful swing tune she co-wrote. The song became a major hit and established her as one of the most popular singers of the swing era. After Webb’s death in 1939, Ella led the orchestra before beginning a highly successful solo career.
During the 1940s and 1950s, Ella became renowned for her pure tone, impeccable diction, and groundbreaking scat singing. Her partnership with producer Norman Granz led to the creation of the celebrated “Song Book” albums, in which she interpreted the works of Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Hart, and other American composers. These recordings helped solidify the canon of the Great American Songbook and showcased Ella’s extraordinary versatility.
Ella toured internationally, recorded with Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington, and earned widespread acclaim. Over her lifetime, she won 14 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and received the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her contributions to jazz and popular music earned her the title “First Lady of Song.” She passed away on June 15, 1996.
Loading...