Singer, jazz vocalist. Born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Details about her childhood are murky, but it is believed that she spent a lot of time living with relatives and later moved to New York with her mother Sadie. In 1930s, Holiday began singing in local clubs and renamed herself “Billie†after the film star Billie Dove. Producer John Hammond reportedly discovered her while she was performing in a Harlem jazz club in 1933. That year, Hammond helped land Holiday recording work with bandleader Benny Goodman. She also met saxophonist Lester Young around this time and he was the one who gave her the nickname “Lady Day." The two would be friends and musical cohorts for many years.Known for her distinctive phrasing and soulful, soft, yet strong voice, Holiday went on to record with jazz pianist Teddy Wilson and his orchestra in 1935. She also worked with the Count Basie Orchestra in the late 1930s. Holiday recorded two of her most well-regarded songs during this period: her own composition “God Bless the Child†(1939) and “Strange Fruit†(1939), a powerful story about the lynching of African Americans in the South. She signed with Decca Records in 1944 and scores an R&B hit the next year with “Lover Man.â€While she was becoming more famous and successful in her professional life, Holiday’s personal life began to deteriorate in the 1940s. She had problems with drugs and alcohol and was arrested several times on narcotics-related charges. She even spent a year in a federal rehabilitation center, but she was unable to end her substance abuse. By the end of the decade, her hard living was taking a toll on her voice.Despite her personal problems, Holiday continued to tour and record in the 1950s. She also shared her life story with the world around this time. Her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues (1956), was written in collaboration by William Dufty. Only a few years later, Holiday’s addictions got the best of her. She died in a New York City hospital on July 17, 1959, from alcohol- and drug-related complications.Considered one of the best jazz vocalists of all time, Holiday has been an influence on many other performers who have followed in her footsteps. Her autobiography was made into the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues with famed singer Diana Ross playing the part of Holiday, which helped renew interest in Holiday’s recordings.
