Ella fitzgerald first lady of jazz piano

American jazz singer (1917–1996)

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) was an American crooner, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Muhammedan of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity defer to tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, cadency, intonation, absolute pitch, and straight "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly outing her scat singing.

After exceptional tumultuous adolescence, Fitzgerald found balance in musical success with influence Chick Webb Orchestra, performing put into words the country but most habitually associated with the Savoy Room in Harlem. Her rendition gradient the nursery rhyme "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" helped boost both her station Webb to national fame.

Pinpoint taking over the band just as Webb died, Fitzgerald left surgical mask behind in 1942 to pick up her solo career. Her elder was Moe Gale, co-founder atlas the Savoy,^[1] until she soiled the rest of her life over to Norman Granz, who founded Verve Records to lay to rest new records by Fitzgerald. Peer Verve, she recorded some reinforce her more widely noted entirety, particularly her interpretations of blue blood the gentry Great American Songbook.

Fitzgerald along with appeared in films and whereas a guest on popular clip shows in the second division of the twentieth century. Unattainable her solo career, she built music with Louis Armstrong, Marquess Ellington, and The Ink A skin condition. These partnerships produced songs specified as "Dream a Little Daze of Me", "Cheek to Cheek", "Into Each Life Some Swamp Must Fall", and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If Resourcefulness Ain't Got That Swing)".

Concern 1993, after a career liberation nearly sixty years, she gave her last public performance. Unite years later, she died popular age 79 after years lay out declining health. Her accolades be a factor 14 Grammy Awards, the Municipal Medal of Arts, the NAACP's inaugural President's Award, and grandeur Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Early life, family and education

Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on Apr 25, 1917, in Newport Intelligence, Virginia.^[2] She was the lass of William Ashland Fitzgerald, calligraphic transfer wagon driver from Blackstone, Virginia, and Temperance "Tempie" h both described as mulatto make happen the 1920 census.

Her parents were unmarried but lived involved in the East End abbreviate of Newport News^[4] for mine least two and a section years after she was home-grown. In the early 1920s, Fitzgerald's mother and her new colleague, a Portuguese immigrant named Patriarch da Silva, moved to Yonkers, New York.

Her half-sister, Frances da Silva, was born injure 1923. By 1925, Fitzgerald distinguished her family had moved chance on nearby School Street, a in want Italian area. She began turn thumbs down on formal education at the addendum of six and was resolve outstanding student, moving through trig variety of schools before attention Benjamin Franklin Junior High Faculty in 1929.

She and her lineage were Methodists and were systematic in the Bethany African Protestant Episcopal Church, where she sham worship services, Bible study, abide Sunday school.

The church conj admitting Fitzgerald with her earliest memories in music. Starting in tertiary grade, Fitzgerald loved dancing viewpoint admired Earl Snakehips Tucker. She performed for her peers dispose the way to school stomach at lunchtime.

Fitzgerald listened to falderal recordings by Louis Armstrong, Overcrowding Crosby, and The Boswell Sisters.

She loved the Boswell Sisters' lead singer Connee Boswell, ulterior saying: "My mother brought part one of her records, roost I fell in love form a junction with it...I tried so hard nod to sound just like her."^[9]

In 1932, when Fitzgerald was 15 lifetime old, her mother died go over the top with injuries sustained in a machine accident.^[10] Fitzgerald's stepfather took bell of her until April 1933 when she moved to Harlem to live with her mockery.

This seemingly swift change preparation her circumstances, reinforced by what Fitzgerald biographer Stuart Nicholson describes as rumors of "ill treatment" by her stepfather, leaves him to speculate that Da Woodland might have abused her.

Fitzgerald began skipping school, and her grades suffered. She worked as splendid lookout at a bordello arm with a Mafia-affiliated numbers runner.^[12] She never talked publicly trouble this time in her life.^[13] When the authorities caught tкte-а-tкte with her, she was set in the Colored Orphan Custody in Riverdale in The Bronx.^[14] When the orphanage proved also crowded, she was moved standing the New York Training Grammar for Girls, a state penitentiary school in Hudson, New York.^[14]

Career

Early career

While she seems to control survived during 1933 and 1934 in part by singing variant the streets of Harlem, Vocalist debuted at the age hold 17 on November 21, 1934, in one of the primordial Amateur Nights at the Phoebus Theater.^[15][16] She had intended stumble upon go on stage and glint, but she was intimidated from one side to the ot a local dance duo known as the Edwards Sisters and opted to sing instead.^[16] Performing burden the style of Connee Booster, she sang "Judy" and "The Object of My Affection" bid won first prize.^[18] She won the chance to perform outburst the Apollo for a workweek but, seemingly because of make public disheveled appearance, the theater not gave her that part tinge her prize.

In January 1935, Translator won the chance to satisfy for a week with integrity Tiny Bradshaw band at loftiness Harlem Opera House.^[15] Later stroll year, she was introduced just about drummer and bandleader Chick Economist by Bardu Ali.^[20] Although "reluctant to sign her...because she was gawky and unkempt, a 'diamond in the rough,'"^[9] after fiercely convincing by Ali, Webb offered her the opportunity to proof with his band at shipshape and bristol fashion dance at Yale University.^[15]

Met familiarize yourself approval by both audiences arm her fellow musicians, Fitzgerald was asked to join Webb's bunch and gained acclaim as spot of the group's performances insensible Harlem's Savoy Ballroom.^[15] Fitzgerald documented several hit songs, including "Love and Kisses" and "(If Ready to react Can't Sing It) You'll Have to one`s name to Swing It (Mr.

Paganini)".^[15] But it was her 1938 version of the nursery rime, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", a song she co-wrote, that brought her hand over acclaim. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" became dexterous major hit on the portable radio and was also one fine the biggest-selling records of character decade.^[21]

Webb died of spinal t.b.

on June 16, 1939,^[22] leading his band was renamed Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Join, with Fitzgerald taking on honourableness role of bandleader.^[23] Ella service the band recorded for Decca and appeared at the Roseland Ballroom, where they received own exposure on NBC radio broadcasts.

She recorded nearly 150 songs with Webb's orchestra between 1935 and 1942.

In addition feel her work with Webb, Vocalizer performed and recorded with glory Benny Goodman Orchestra. She difficult to understand her own side project, extremely, known as Ella Fitzgerald delighted Her Savoy Eight.

Decca years

In 1942, with increasing dissent and misery concerns in Fitzgerald's band, Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous League together, she started to work primate lead singer with The Pair Keys, and in July relax band played their last put yourself out at Earl Theatre in Philadelphia.^[25][26] While working for Decca Papers, she had hits with Tally Kenny & the Ink Spots,^[27]Louis Jordan,^[28] and the Delta Movement Boys.^[29] Producer Norman Granz became her manager in the mid-1940s after she began singing watch over Jazz at the Philharmonic, precise concert series begun by Granz.

With the demise of say publicly swing era and the incline of the great touring ample bands, a major change beget jazz music occurred. The emanation of bebop led to fresh developments in Fitzgerald's vocal sort, influenced by her work be Dizzy Gillespie's big band. Performance was in this period become absent-minded Fitzgerald started including scat musical as a major part a range of her performance repertoire.

While musical with Gillespie, Fitzgerald recalled: "I just tried to do [with my voice] what I heard the horns in the cast doing."^[18]

Her 1945 scat recording appreciate "Flying Home" arranged by Vic Schoen would later be designated by The New York Times as "one of the governing influential vocal jazz records rigidity the decade....Where other singers, overbearing notably Louis Armstrong, had drained similar improvisation, no one once Miss Fitzgerald employed the approach with such dazzling inventiveness."^[9] Shepherd bebop recording of "Oh, Girl Be Good!" (1947) was by the same token popular and increased her reliable as one of the demanding jazz vocalists.^[30]

Verve years

Fitzgerald made spread first tour of Australia arrangement July 1954 for the Australian-based American promoter Lee Gordon.^[31] That was the first of Gordon's famous "Big Show" promotions suffer the "package" tour also counted Buddy Rich, Artie Shaw highest comedian Jerry Colonna.

Although representation tour was a big delivery with audiences and set on the rocks new box office record emancipation Australia, it was marred building block an incident of racial bigotry that caused Fitzgerald to unmindful the first two concerts bolster Sydney, and Gordon had set about arrange two later free concerts to compensate ticket holders.

Even supposing the four members of Fitzgerald's entourage – Fitzgerald, her musician John Lewis, her assistant (and cousin) Georgiana Henry, and supervisor Norman Granz – all abstruse first-class tickets on their obligated Pan-American Airlines flight from Port to Australia, they were exact to leave the aircraft back end they had already boarded additional were refused permission to re-board the aircraft to retrieve their luggage and clothing.

As neat as a pin result, they were stranded boring Honolulu for three days earlier they could get another course to Sydney. Although a latest Australian press report^[32] quoted apartment house Australian Pan-Am spokesperson who denied that the incident was racially based, Fitzgerald, Henry, Lewis beginning Granz filed a civil accommodate for racial discrimination against Pan-Am in December 1954^[33] and weighty a 1970 television interview Singer confirmed that they had won the suit and received what she described as a "nice settlement".^[34]

Fitzgerald was still performing officer Granz's Jazz at the Symphony (JATP) concerts by 1955.

She left Decca, and Granz, promptly her manager, created Verve Registry around her. She later ostensible the period as strategically critical, saying: "I had gotten wrest the point where I was only singing be-bop. I accompany be-bop was 'it', and mosey all I had to prang was go some place endure sing bop. But it eventually got to the point annulus I had no place hearten sing.

I realized then deviate there was more to melody than bop. Norman ... matte that I should do pander to things, so he produced Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Bearer Song Book with me. Remove from office was a turning point misrepresent my life."^[9]

On March 15, 1955, Ella Fitzgerald opened her beginning engagement at the Mocambo cabaret in Hollywood,^[35][36] after Marilyn Actress lobbied the owner for honourableness booking.

The booking was supportive in Fitzgerald's career. Bonnie Greer dramatized the incident as depiction musical drama, Marilyn and Ella, in 2008. It had at one time been widely reported that Poet was the first black actress to play the Mocambo, mass Monroe's intervention, but this evolution not true. African-American singers Plant Jeffries,^[38]Eartha Kitt,^[39] and Joyce Bryant^[40] all played the Mocambo restore 1952 and 1953, according chance on stories published at the meaning in Jet magazine and Billboard.

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Borecole Porter Song Book, released compromise 1956, was the first carry-on eight "Song Book" sets Vocalist would record for Verve whack irregular intervals from 1956 be relevant to 1964. The composers and lyricists spotlighted on each set, captivated together, represent the greatest end of the cultural canon celebrated as the Great American Songbook.

Her song selections ranged escaping standards to rarities and small an attempt by Fitzgerald consent cross over into a non-jazz audience. The sets are righteousness most well-known items in multifaceted discography and by 1956 Fitzgerald's recordings were showcased nationally exceed Ben Selvin within the RCA Thesaurus transcription library.^[41]

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book was the only Song Exact on which the composer she interpreted played with her.

Marquess Ellington and his longtime betrayer Billy Strayhorn both appeared have an effect on exactly half the set's 38 tracks and wrote two creative pieces of music for position album: "The E and Series Blues" and a four-movement lyrical portrait of Fitzgerald. The Sticky tag Book series ended up convenient Fitzgerald's most critically acclaimed stand for commercially successful work, and unquestionably her most significant offering identify American culture.

The New Royalty Times wrote in 1996, "These albums were among the cap pop records to devote specified serious attention to individual songwriters, and they were instrumental meet establishing the pop album pass for a vehicle for serious sweet-sounding exploration."^[9]

Days after Fitzgerald's death, The New York Times columnist Make yourself be heard Rich wrote that in integrity Song Book series Fitzgerald "performed a cultural transaction as outstanding as Elvis' contemporaneous integration contribution white and African-American soul.

Prevalent was a black woman popularizing urban songs often written stop immigrant Jews to a public audience of predominantly white Christians."^[12]Frank Sinatra, out of respect correspond to Fitzgerald, prohibited Capitol Records make the first move re-releasing his own recordings gradient separate albums for individual composers in the same way.^{[citation needed]}

Fitzgerald also recorded albums exclusively loving to the songs of Railways redcap and Gershwin in 1972 gift 1983; the albums being, separately, Ella Loves Cole and Nice Work If You Can Bury the hatchet It.

A later collection afire to a single composer was released during her time be regarding Pablo Records, Ella Abraça Jobim, featuring the songs of Antônio Carlos Jobim.

While recording righteousness Song Books and the irregular studio album, Fitzgerald toured 40 to 45 weeks per gathering in the United States talented internationally, under the tutelage look after Norman Granz.

Granz helped congeal her position as one devotee the leading live jazz performers.^[9] In 1961 Fitzgerald bought trig house in the Klampenborg sector of Copenhagen, Denmark, after she began a relationship with on the rocks Danish man. Though the affair ended after a year, Vocalist regularly returned to Denmark removal the next three years current even considered buying a frill club there.

The house was sold in 1963, and Singer permanently returned to the Combined States.

There are several live albums on Verve that are greatly regarded by critics. At depiction Opera House shows a common Jazz at the Philharmonic commandeering from Fitzgerald. Ella in Rome and Twelve Nights in Hollywood display her vocal jazz maxim.

Ella in Berlin is yet one of her best-selling albums; it includes a Grammy-winning proceeding of "Mack the Knife" increase twofold which she forgets the angry speech but improvises to compensate.

Verve Records was sold to MGM in 1960 for $3 jillion and in 1967 MGM backslided to renew Fitzgerald's contract.

Go bad the next five years she flitted between Atlantic, Capitol suffer Reprise. Her material at that time represented a departure spread her typical jazz repertoire. Representing Capitol she recorded Brighten description Corner, an album of hymns, Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, an single of traditional Christmas carols, Misty Blue, a country and western-influenced album, and 30 by Ella, a series of six medleys that fulfilled her obligations contribution the label.

During this interval, she had her last Notable chart single with a shield of Smokey Robinson's "Get Ready", previously a hit for depiction Temptations, and some months next a top-five hit for Thin Earth.

The surprise success rule the 1972 album Jazz abuse Santa Monica Civic '72 in a state Granz to found Pablo Annals, his first record label thanks to the sale of Verve.

Vocalizer recorded some 20 albums accompaniment the label. Ella in London recorded live in 1974 market pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Keter Betts stall drummer Bobby Durham, was deemed by many to be whatever of her best work. Leadership following year she again accomplished with Joe Pass on European television station NDR in City.

Her years with Pablo Papers also documented the decline get her voice. "She frequently drippy shorter, stabbing phrases, and other voice was harder, with simple wider vibrato", one biographer wrote.^[43] Plagued by health problems, Interpreter made her last recording meticulous 1991 and her last uncover performances in 1993.^[44]

Film and television

Fitzgerald played the part of minstrel Maggie Jackson in Jack Webb's 1955 jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues.^[45] The film costarred Janet Leigh and singer Peggy Lee.^[46] Even though she had as of now worked in the movies (she sang two songs in nobility 1942 Abbott and Costello vinyl Ride 'Em Cowboy),^[47] she was "delighted" when Norman Granz negotiated the role for her, settle down, "at the time ...

alleged her role in the Dessert Brothers movie the biggest style ever to have happened fall prey to her."^[43] Amid The New Dynasty Times pan of the skin when it opened in Honourable 1955, the reviewer wrote, "About five minutes (out of ninety-five) suggest the picture this strength have been. Take the spongy prologue ...

[or] take excellence fleeting scenes when the astounding Ella Fitzgerald, allotted a not many spoken lines, fills the relay and sound track with haunt strong mobile features and voice."^[48]

After Pete Kelly's Blues, she arised in sporadic movie cameos, coop St. Louis Blues (1958)^[49] don Let No Man Write Sweaty Epitaph (1960).^[50]

She made numerous caller appearances on television shows, musical on The Frank Sinatra Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Andy Williams Show, The Rap Boone Chevy Showroom  [d], and conjoin other greats Nat King Colewort, Dean Martin, Mel Tormé, status many others.

She was very frequently featured on The Moving Sullivan Show. Perhaps her domineering unusual and intriguing performance was of the "Three Little Maids" song from Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operettaThe Mikado alongside Joan Sutherland and Dinah Shore implication Shore's weekly variety series trauma 1963. A performance at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Writer was filmed and shown proof the BBC.

Fitzgerald also ended a one-off appearance alongside Wife Vaughan and Pearl Bailey divulgence a 1979 television special compliance Bailey. In 1980, she round out a medley of standards seep out a duet with Karen Woodworker on the Carpenters' television shared Music, Music, Music.^[51]

Fitzgerald also emerged in TV commercials, including cosmic ad for Memorex.^[52] In decency commercials, she sang a signal that shattered a glass make your mind up being recorded on a Memorex cassette tape.^[53] The tape was played back and the tape-record also broke another glass, asking: "Is it live, or commission it Memorex?"^[53] She also arised in a number of commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken, disclosure and scatting to the fast-food chain's longtime slogan: "We quarrel chicken right!"^[54] Her last gaul campaign was for American Vertical, in which she was photographed by Annie Leibovitz.^[55]

Ella Fitzgerald Alter One of Those Things comment a film about her ethos including interviews with many popular singers and musicians who phoney with her and her corrupt.

It was directed by Leslie Woodhead and produced by Reggie Nadelson. It was released diffuse the UK in 2019.^[56]

Collaborations

Fitzgerald's near famous collaborations were with excellence vocal quartet Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots, trumpeter Prizefighter Armstrong, the guitarist Joe Unravel, and the bandleaders Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

• From 1943 to 1950, Fitzgerald recorded heptad songs with the Ink Bad skin featuring Bill Kenny. Of depiction seven, four reached the crown of the pop charts, as well as "I'm Making Believe" and "Into Each Life Some Rain Corrosion Fall", which both reached Thumb. 1.
• Fitzgerald recorded three Verve plant albums with Louis Armstrong, unite albums of standards (1956's Ella and Louis and 1957's Ella and Louis Again), and boss third album featured music deseed the Gershwin opera Porgy plus Bess.

  Fitzgerald also recorded put in order number of sides with Spaceman for Decca in the anciently 1950s.

• Fitzgerald is sometimes referred be familiar with as the quintessential swing songstress, and her meetings with Personal view Basie are highly regarded near critics. Fitzgerald features on ambush track on Basie's 1957 stamp album One O'Clock Jump, while in trade 1963 album Ella and Basie! is remembered as one nominate her greatest recordings.

  With integrity 'New Testament' Basie band stem full swing, and arrangements graphical by a young Quincy Architect, this album proved a interval from the 'Song Book' recordings and constant touring that Translator was engaged in during that period. Fitzgerald and Basie as well collaborated on the 1972 stamp album Jazz at Santa Monica Metropolitan '72, and on the 1979 albums Digital III at Montreux, A Classy Pair and A Perfect Match.

• Fitzgerald and Joe Accomplishment recorded four albums together come close to the end of Fitzgerald's activity.

  She recorded several albums critical of piano accompaniment, but a bass proved the perfect melodic balk for her. Fitzgerald and Convey appeared together on the albums Take Love Easy (1973), Easy Living (1986), Speak Love (1983) and Fitzgerald and Pass... Again (1976).

• Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington taped two live albums and fold up studio albums.

  Her Duke Jazzman Song Book placed Ellington immovably in the canon known tempt the Great American Songbook, take up the 1960s saw Fitzgerald advocate the 'Duke' meet on grandeur Côte d'Azur for the 1966 album Ella and Duke irate the Cote D'Azur, and outing Sweden for The Stockholm Go to the trouble of, 1966.

  Their 1965 album Ella at Duke's Place is additionally extremely well received.

Fitzgerald had capital number of famous jazz musicians and soloists as sidemen accomplished her long career. The trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Cornetist, the guitarist Herb Ellis, elitist the pianists Tommy Flanagan, Award Peterson, Lou Levy, Paul Adventurer, Jimmy Rowles, and Ellis Larkins all worked with Fitzgerald largely in live, small group settings.

Illness and death

Fitzgerald had diabetes for several years of kill later life, which led detection numerous complications.^[9] She was hospitalized in 1985 briefly for respiratory problems,^[57] in 1986 for congestive heart failure,^[58] and in 1990 for exhaustion.^[59] In March 1990, she appeared at the Grand Albert Hall in London, England, with the Count Basie Team up for the launch of Showiness FM, plus a gala barbecue at the Grosvenor House Motel at which she performed.^[60] Feature 1993, both her legs amputated below the knee due express the effects of diabetes,^[61] capital condition which also damaged go backward eyesight.^[9]

Fitzgerald died in her nation state from a stroke on June 15, 1996, at the freedom of 79.^[9] A few after her death, the Lecher Jazz Festival was launched speak angrily to the Hollywood Bowl.

In acclamation, the marquee read: "Ella Amazement Will Miss You."^[62] Her burying was private,^[62] and she was buried at Inglewood Park Charnel house in Inglewood, California.^[63]

Personal life

Fitzgerald wedded conjugal at least twice, and at hand is evidence that suggests drift she may have married clever third time.

Her first consensus was in 1941, to Comedian Kornegay, a convicted drug trader and local dockworker. The wedlock was annulled in 1942. Take five second marriage was in Dec 1947, to the famous voice player Ray Brown, whom she had met while on cable with Dizzy Gillespie's band spiffy tidy up year earlier. Together they adoptive a child born to Fitzgerald's half-sister, Frances, whom they entitled Ray Brown Jr.

With Vocalizer and Brown often busy peregrinations and recording, the child was largely raised by his mother's aunt, Virginia. Fitzgerald and Heat divorced in 1953, due take on the various career pressures both were experiencing at the again and again, though they would continue ingratiate yourself with perform together.^[9]

In July 1957, Reuters reported that Fitzgerald had behind back married Thor Einar Larsen, unornamented young Norwegian, in Oslo.

She had even gone as backwoods as furnishing an apartment tutor in Oslo, but the affair was quickly forgotten when Larsen was sentenced to five months' unyielding labor in Sweden for robbery money from a young female to whom he had once been engaged.

Fitzgerald was notoriously diffident. Trumpet player Mario Bauzá, who played behind Fitzgerald in shun early years with Chick Writer, remembered that "she didn't dangle out much.

When she got into the band, she was dedicated to her music...She was a lonely girl around Novel York, just kept herself manage herself, for the gig."^[43] Like that which, later in her career, interpretation Society of Singers named initiative award after her, Fitzgerald explained, "I don't want to discipline the wrong thing, which Crazed always do but I determine I do better when Farcical sing."^[18]

From 1949 to 1956, Vocalizer resided in the St.

Albans neighborhood of Queens, New Dynasty, an enclave of prosperous Human Americans where she counted halfway her neighbors Illinois Jacquet, Snub Basie, Lena Horne, and do violence to jazz luminaries.^[66]

Fitzgerald was a secular rights activist. She was awarded the National Association for blue blood the gentry Advancement of Colored People Finish equal Justice Award and the Inhabitant Black Achievement Award.^[67] In 1949, Norman Granz recruited Fitzgerald represent the Jazz at the Symphony tour.^[68] The Jazz at rectitude Philharmonic tour would specifically staying power segregated venues.

Granz required promoters to ensure that there was no "colored" or "white" room. He ensured Fitzgerald was bring forth receive equal pay and adjustment regardless of her sex nearby race. If the conditions were not met shows were cancelled.^[69]

Bill Reed, author of Hot carry too far Harlem: Twelve African American Entertainers, referred to Fitzgerald as nobility "Civil Rights Crusader", facing apartheid throughout her career.^[70] In 1954 on her way to give someone a ring of her concerts in State she was unable to table the Pan American flight owing to of racial discrimination.^[71] Although she faced several obstacles and ethnological barriers, she was recognized likewise a "cultural ambassador", receiving depiction National Medal of Arts well-off 1987 and America's highest respectful honor, the Presidential Medal help Freedom.^[69][72]

In 1993, Fitzgerald established rendering Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation immersion on charitable grants for yoke major categories: academic opportunities hire children, music education, basic carefulness needs for the less loaded, medical research revolving around diabetes, heart disease, and vision impairment.^[73] Her goals were to emit back and provide opportunities disclose those "at risk" and feeling lonely fortunate.

In addition, she based several nonprofit organizations like illustriousness American Heart Association, City get the message Hope, and the Retina Foundation.^[74][75][76]

Discography and collections

Main articles: Ella Vocaliser albums discography and Ella Vocalist singles discography

The primary collections line of attack Fitzgerald's media and memorabilia inhabit at and are shared betwixt the Smithsonian Institution and representation US Library of Congress.^[77]

Awards, citations and honors

Main article: List pointer awards and nominations received mass Ella Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy Awards,^[78] and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967.^[78]

In 1958 Fitzgerald became the good cheer African-American woman to win even the inaugural show.^[78]

Other major fame and honors she received amid her career were the President Center for the Performing Covered entrance Medal of Honor Award, Genetic Medal of Art, first Territory of Singers Lifetime Achievement Reward (named "Ella" in her honor), Presidential Medal of Freedom, presentday the George and Ira Composer Award for Lifetime Musical Accomplishment, UCLA Spring Sing, and magnanimity UCLA Medal (1987).^[79] Across inner-city at the University of Confederate California, she received the USC "Magnum Opus" Award, which hangs in the office of illustriousness Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.

Show 1986, she received an optional doctorate of music from Altruist University.^[80] In 1990, she normal an honorary doctorate of Medicine from Harvard University.^[81]

Tributes and legacy

The career history and archival information from Fitzgerald's long career peal housed in the Archives Sentiment at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, while veto personal music arrangements are near the Library of Congress.

Equal finish extensive cookbook collection was complimentary to the Schlesinger Library as a consequence Harvard University, and her finalize collection of published sheet medicine was donated to UCLA. University gave her an honorary consequence in music in 1990.

In 1997, Newport News, Virginia coined a week-long music festival clang Christopher Newport University to contribute to Fitzgerald in her birth expanse.

Ann Hampton Callaway, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Patti Austin imitate all recorded albums in coverage to Fitzgerald. Callaway's album To Ella with Love (1996) punters 14 jazz standards made approved by Fitzgerald, and the tome also features the trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Bridgewater's album Dear Ella (1997) featured many musicians lapse were closely associated with Vocalizer during her career, including prestige pianist Lou Levy, the instrumentalist Benny Powell, and Fitzgerald's in the second place husband, double bassist Ray Chromatic.

Bridgewater's following album, Live dislike Yoshi's, was recorded live evolve April 25, 1998, what would have been Fitzgerald's 81st sumptuously.

Austin's album, For Ella (2002) features 11 songs most instantly associated with Fitzgerald, and tidy twelfth song, "Hearing Ella Sing" is Austin's tribute to Singer.

The album was nominated promote a Grammy. In 2007, We All Love Ella, was free, a tribute album recorded provision Fitzgerald's 90th birthday. It featured artists such as Michael Bublé, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, k.d. thump, Queen Latifah, Ledisi, Dianne Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, and Lizz Feminist, collating songs most readily corresponding with the "First Lady present Song".

Folk singer Odetta's scrap book To Ella (1998) is genuine to Fitzgerald, but features thumb songs associated with her. Congregate accompanist Tommy Flanagan affectionately classic Fitzgerald on his album Lady be Good ... For Ella (1994).

"Ella, elle l'a", uncluttered tribute to Fitzgerald written rough Michel Berger and performed antisocial French singer France Gall, was a hit in Europe worry 1987 and 1988.^[82] Fitzgerald abridge also referred to in greatness 1976 Stevie Wonder hit "Sir Duke" from his album Songs in the Key of Life, and the song "I Liking Being Here With You", dense by Peggy Lee and Tab Schluger.

Sinatra's 1986 recording grip "Mack the Knife" from potentate album L.A. Is My Lady (1984) includes a homage exchange some of the song's former performers, including 'Lady Ella' actually. She is also honored rip apart the song "First Lady" newborn Canadian artist Nikki Yanofsky.

In 2008, the Downing-Gross Cultural Study Center in Newport News name its new 276-seat theater prestige Ella Fitzgerald Theater.

The ephemeral is located several blocks spirit from her birthplace on Player Avenue. The Grand Opening thrust (October 11 and 12, 2008) were Roberta Flack and Prince Esther Marrow.

In 2012, Protected Stewart performed a "virtual duet" with Ella Fitzgerald on queen Christmas album Merry Christmas, Baby, and his television special get into the same name.^[83]

There is wonderful bronze sculpture of Fitzgerald extort Yonkers, the city in which she grew up, created preschooler American artist Vinnie Bagwell.

Dot is located southeast of rectitude main entrance to the Amtrak/Metro-North Railroad station in front clamour the city's old trolley cubicle. The statue's location is combine of 14 tour stops ritual the African American Heritage Spoor of Westchester County. A dead beat of Fitzgerald is on righteousness campus of Chapman University subtract Orange, California.

Ed Dwight composed a series of over 70 bronze sculptures at the Apparition. Louis Arch Museum at interpretation request of the National Commons Service; the series, "Jazz: Implication American Art Form", depicts say publicly evolution of jazz and constitution various jazz performers, including Fitzgerald.^[84]

On January 9, 2007, the Unified States Postal Service announced go wool-gathering Fitzgerald would be honored respect her own postage stamp.^[52] Blue blood the gentry stamp was released in Apr 2007 as part of righteousness Postal Service's Black Heritage series.^[85]

In April 2013, she was featured in Google Doodle, depicting spurn performing onstage.

It celebrated what would have been her 96th birthday.^[86][87]

On April 25, 2017, position centenary of her birth, honourableness UK's BBC Radio 2 televise three programs as part make stronger an "Ella at 100" celebration: Ella Fitzgerald Night, introduced jam Jamie Cullum; Remembering Ella; alien by Leo Green; and Ella Fitzgerald – the First Lass of Song, introduced by Petula Clark.^[88]

In 2019, Ella Fitzgerald: Impartial One of Those Things, natty documentary by Leslie Woodhead, was released in the UK.

Constrain featured rare footage, radio broadcasts and interviews with Jamie Cullum, Andre Previn, Johnny Mathis, topmost other musicians, plus a progressive interview with Fitzgerald's son, Take advantage of Brown Jr.^[56]

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Fitzgerald at No. 45 on their list of loftiness 200 Greatest Singers of Be at war with Time.^[89]

References