"I know I'm no glamour girl, and it's not easy for me to get up in front of a crowd of people. It used to bother me a lot, but now I've got it figured out that God gave me this talent to use, so I just stand there and sing."
I have such a great appreciation for this woman that this post may be nothing more than gushing on and on about her fantastic qualities and abilities. I fell in love with the voice of Ella Fitzgerald at a young age and live and die in the fabulous recordings of Ella Fitzgerald sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook.
Ella said it herself, she wasn't "glamourous" like some of her contemporaries (Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughn, etc), but her willingness to use her talents got her the recognition she so rightly deserved.
Ella was a girl from very humble beginnings. She was born April 25, 1917 in Newport, VA but moved to Yonkers, New York with her mother after her parent's divorce. Ella went through a rough patch after her mother was in a fatal car accident. Until then, Ella had been an excellent student receiving good grades and high marks. The death of her mother (and subsequently her step-father) found Ella back in Virginia living with her aunt. Due to her truancy and low marks, Ella was sent to reform school at 15.
But, things started to look up for Ella. Two years after her reform school stint, she won the opportunity to perform at the famous Apollo Theatre's Amateur Night. Ella was by her very nature shy, but came alive with the opportunity to perform. Originally, Ella was going to dance, but an act prior to her own danced and Ella was sure she wouldn't stand out after that performance. Once Ella began to sing, the somewhat put off crowd was hushed and demanded an encore from Ella.
Her career spanned generations and color lines. She sang with Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. She was lauded and defended by Marilyn Monroe. She received a Kennedy Centers Honor and a National Medal of Arts in 1987 from President Ronald Reagan.
She used her gifts and talents to the fullest and has one of the most iconic and recognizable voices of all time. She set the bar extremely high for all female jazz singers from now 'til kingdom come.
Here are two of my personal favorite Ella songs for you to enjoy. Also, please go and read more about Ella, this is such a small and brief subset of her life. She was such a phenomenal woman. The Official Website of Ella Fitzgerald
Ella said it herself, she wasn't "glamourous" like some of her contemporaries (Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughn, etc), but her willingness to use her talents got her the recognition she so rightly deserved.
Ella was a girl from very humble beginnings. She was born April 25, 1917 in Newport, VA but moved to Yonkers, New York with her mother after her parent's divorce. Ella went through a rough patch after her mother was in a fatal car accident. Until then, Ella had been an excellent student receiving good grades and high marks. The death of her mother (and subsequently her step-father) found Ella back in Virginia living with her aunt. Due to her truancy and low marks, Ella was sent to reform school at 15.
But, things started to look up for Ella. Two years after her reform school stint, she won the opportunity to perform at the famous Apollo Theatre's Amateur Night. Ella was by her very nature shy, but came alive with the opportunity to perform. Originally, Ella was going to dance, but an act prior to her own danced and Ella was sure she wouldn't stand out after that performance. Once Ella began to sing, the somewhat put off crowd was hushed and demanded an encore from Ella.
Her career spanned generations and color lines. She sang with Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. She was lauded and defended by Marilyn Monroe. She received a Kennedy Centers Honor and a National Medal of Arts in 1987 from President Ronald Reagan.
She used her gifts and talents to the fullest and has one of the most iconic and recognizable voices of all time. She set the bar extremely high for all female jazz singers from now 'til kingdom come.
Here are two of my personal favorite Ella songs for you to enjoy. Also, please go and read more about Ella, this is such a small and brief subset of her life. She was such a phenomenal woman. The Official Website of Ella Fitzgerald
A-Tisket, A-Tasket, from the Abbott and Costello picture, Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942).
Ella singing my favorite Gershwin song, Summertime, Live in Berlin
I get teary every time I hear her.
Happy Wednesday!
xo Jen
Source Info: The Official Website of Ella Fitzgerald.
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