Often referred to as "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was one of the most popular female jazz singers in the United States. Throughout her career, Ella was awarded thirteen Grammys and sold over 40 million albums. With a voice that not only encompassed a large range, but a dynamic and powerful sound, Ella could sing almost anything from scatting to the popular tunes of her day. She performed in the top venues all around the world to packed houses, with audiences as diverse as the music she created. Ella came from a small town and impoverished family, but through her talent and determination, skyrocketed to fame creating a legacy that has withstood the sands of time.
Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on April 25th, 1917 in Newport News,
…show more content…
The news of Tempie’s death shook Ella greatly. Shortly following her mother’s death, Ella was taken in by Tempie’s sister Virginia. After moving, Ella had a hard time adjusting to her new surroundings and became unhappy eventually starting to skip school frequently thus causing her grades to drop. It was at this time that she got into trouble with the police and was sent to a reform school. However, things got even worse for Ella while she was in the reform school as she often suffered beatings from those in charge. She soon escaped from the school and found herself living alone and without any money during the middle of the Great Depression. It is believed that Ella survived by singing on the streets, a far cry from the top venues she would soon be performing …show more content…
He was very impressed with her talent and tried to help her advance in the music business by introducing her to people that could help launch her career. Through Carter’s support, and that of her ever growing fan club, Ella began entering every talent show she could find and ended up winning almost all of them. In January 1935, Ella was awarded the chance to perform with Tiny Bradshaw at the Harlem Opera House for a week. It was there she first met Chick Webb, the famous drummer and band leader. Although Webb had already hired another singer for his band (Charlie Linton), he too was impressed by Ella’s talent. Because of this, and despite her “gawky and unkempt” appearance, he gave her the opportunity to sing with his band at a dance at Yale University as a test run. Webb was quoted for saying that “if the kids like her, she stays”. She was a raging success and true to his promise, Chick hired Ella to travel with the band. She recorded “Love and Kisses” with the band in 1935 and was soon a regular artist at the Savoy, one of Harlem’s hottest nightclubs. It didn’t take too long for Ella to emerge from the shadows and become a star attraction coming out with major hits such as her first number one single, “A-tisket, A-tasket”. This single, which she co-wrote at the age of twenty-one in 1938, sold one million copies, and stayed on the pop charts for seventeen weeks thus bringing
She started as a street singer, then performing in the Moses Stokes minstrel show. Bessie was introduced to Ma Rainey who was another famous blues artist. Ma took Bessie under her wing. Over the next ten years, Bessie was performing at multiple theatres all over town with the help of Ma.
(Open Ears: Eva Jessye and the Harlem Renaissance, para 1) Eva was a talented musician, at a young age, she was a singer, choir director, composer, actor, teacher, and poet. “Eva lead a choir that was one of the top gospel, folk, and spiritual groups of the time… Known as ‘Original Dixie Jubilee Singers’ but they later changed the name to “Eva Jessye Choir”. (Open Ears: Eva Jessye and the Harlem Renaissance, para 2) To have your choir as a black woman during the early 1920s was a feat that should not be dismissed.
she had a large family of her own with six children. some of the struggles during life had included and her oldest daughter that had passed way of emphysema at the age of 64 . lorettas. son jack benny that had drowned on their families properties in 1984 it truly is a sad situation to have to experience something like that.she had experienced much grief and it most certainly have affected her music. another struggle she had would be that she also had to undergo a surgery on her shoulder because of a fall they had some complications but it all turned out good in the end and was able to fully recover and could continue to make music.
Because Ransby wrote of a complex individual creates a legacy just a complex. Importantly, terms like grass-roots, listening, civil rights or educator cannot simply be used to define Baker. These terms where different parts of Baker. Rather, the life and legacy of Ella Baker represent the idea of longevity in political thought. It represents the time and effort taken to create positive change
Tammy Wynette won “Most Promising Female Artist,” “Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the year,” the “Living Legend” award, she won a grammy for “Best Country Performance.” She also won 28 grammys and so much more! Tammy Wynette was one of the most successful people in the history of country music. She sold more than a hundred million dollars worth of songs and she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame before she passed away.
First of all, “Merman, Ethel (1908-1984), was a popular star of Broadway musicals known for her exuberant personality and powerful singing voice.” Obviously, Ethel Zimmerman, more commonly known as Ethel Merman, had quite an amazing voice that really moved and caught the attention of several people. Her fun and laid-back personality made the public grow to love her. Also, Ethel Merman was known for the Musical Annie Get your Gun where she played the lead of Annie. This play was a big cause for her Fame.
Marian Anderson was a driven African American singer. "We don't take colored" (Collins 106). Marian was deprived of singing in many places because of the color of her skin. She was always well behaved and never wanted conflict so she never would argue.
It was around this time that Josephine first took up dancing, honing her skills, both in clubs and in street performances, by 1919 she was touring the United States with the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers performing comedic skits. By 1921 she married her second husband, Willie Baker whose name she obtained even after they divorced years later. In 1925, France’s had an obsession with American jazz and all things
She did not avoid singing about difficult topics, like the Vietnam War in her song “Dear Uncle Sam”. Loretta also received plenty of backfire from her song “The Pill”, written about the liberating effects that oral contraception had on a wife and mother who was simply fed up with her husband and his behavior. At first look, the message of the song seems rather simple, but when deeper evaluated, there is a great deal of significance behind the lyrics of the
Funicello recorded 15 albums in the late 1950s and late 1960s, which were all a hit. Annette Funicello was the most famous one on the mousekeeper, she got about 8,000 fan letters, all the rest got only about 800. She was in the “Beach Party” movie and her amazing voice just got her everywhere. Some guys even across the world asked if they could marry her, but of course she sent the rings and stuff back.
Throughout her career, “Mills earned a reputation for her wondrous, high-pitched voice, unique dance movements and comedic timing that allowed her to become an unparalleled force during the Harlem Renaissance. With Mills quite aware of the racial dynamics of the day and wishing to make a difference, she also served as an icon for African-American performers and audiences of all backgrounds.” (Bio.) Mills was well recognized for amazing talents, and became more popular as she starred in “Shuffle Along”, “Plantation Revenue”, and “Blackbirds”. Starring in mostly musicals, Mills was recognized more for her beautiful voice, and was a huge star in Britain by 1926.
She stayed with Chess Records until the early '70s. By this time, Etta had did more than experiment with heroin... she was a full fledged addict. She still continued to work, however, her professional and personal life did suffer because of it. Do you remember the Tell Mama album?
"I’ve always been a writer. My songs are the door to every dream I’ve ever had and every success I’ve ever achieved,” says Dolly Parton. Over the years, Dolly Parton has created an amazing image of being a renowned superstar. She has contributed to countless milestones in entertainment world of country music. Spanning from her classical songs such a “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and her mega-hit “I Will Always Love You” (Dolly).
Billie Holiday is one of the most influential jazz singers of her time. Her attitude, determination and most of all her music inspired artists throughout time and inspired major social change. Throughout her lifetime she explored the world of jazz, her identity, and how far the limits of her talent would take her. She exchanged her poor life, full of drugs and scandal for a life of performing the arts and showcasing her talents and abilities. Her incredible determination led her to do what she loved regardless of what anyone thought , which led to her inciting major social exchange; moving black suffering into white consciousness.
Billie Holiday’s biggest influences in music were Bessie Smith and Louis “Pops” Armstrong; she admired the power that Smith had to interpret a song, and Armstrong’s music style. “Lady Day” became famous in 1939 when she recorded “Strange Fruit”, which is song that protests against the lynching of African Americans in the United States (The Biography.com website). A year later, in 1940 she recorded a new version of “All of Me”. This song which was written in 1931 by Seymour Simons and Gerald Marks, is one of the most popular songs from the 1930s.