Anita O'Day
Play Radio
Listen to Anita O'Day Radio,
featuring artists like Carmen McRae, Lena Horne, Mildred Bailey, June Christy and more…
-
Search on Spotify
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
1,517,066 plays (235,432 listeners)
Anita O’Day (October 18, 1919 - November 23, 2006) was an American jazz singer.
O’Day is admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the “girl singer”. Refusing to pander to any female stereotype, O’Day presented herself as a ‘hip’ jazz musician, wearing a band jacket and skirt as opposed to an evening gown. She cites Martha Raye as the primary influence on her vocal style, although she has also expressed admiration for Mildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.
During the late Forties, she recorded two dozen sides, mostly for small labels. The quality of these singles varies: O’Day was trying to achieve popular success without sacrificing her identity as a jazz singer. Among the more notable recordings from this period are “Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip”, “Key Largo”, “How High the Moon”, and “Malaguena”. O’Day’s drug problems began to surface late in 1947, when she and husband Carl Hoff were arrested for possession of marijuana and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Her career was back on the upswing in September of 1948, when she sang with Count Basie at the Royal Roost in New York City, resulting in five airchecks. What secured O’Day’s place in the jazz pantheon, however, are the seventeen albums she recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1962.
Her first album, Anita O’Day Sings Jazz (reissued as The Lady Is a Tramp), was recorded in 1956 for the newly established Verve Records (it was also the label’s first LP).
O’Day is admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the “girl singer”. Refusing to pander to any female stereotype, O’Day presented herself as a ‘hip’ jazz musician, wearing a band jacket and skirt as opposed to an evening gown. She cites Martha Raye as the primary influence on her vocal style, although she has also expressed admiration for Mildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.
During the late Forties, she recorded two dozen sides, mostly for small labels. The quality of these singles varies: O’Day was trying to achieve popular success without sacrificing her identity as a jazz singer. Among the more notable recordings from this period are “Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip”, “Key Largo”, “How High the Moon”, and “Malaguena”. O’Day’s drug problems began to surface late in 1947, when she and husband Carl Hoff were arrested for possession of marijuana and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Her career was back on the upswing in September of 1948, when she sang with Count Basie at the Royal Roost in New York City, resulting in five airchecks. What secured O’Day’s place in the jazz pantheon, however, are the seventeen albums she recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1962.
Her first album, Anita O’Day Sings Jazz (reissued as The Lady Is a Tramp), was recorded in 1956 for the newly established Verve Records (it was also the label’s first LP).
Shouts:
52 shouts
Top Albums
-
Verve Jazz Masters 49
Anita O'Day
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital $9.99
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $36.00
- eBay Search
-
Anita O'Day Sings the Winners
Anita O'Day Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital $9.99
- iTunes $5.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
You Betcha
Anita O'Day Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $17.67
- eBay Search
-
Time for 2
Anita O'Day Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Shoutbox
-
cloudsrest wrote:
We're further diminished as we lose our appreciation for adult music.
-
Auland wrote:
Sing, Sing, Sing and Whisper Not are amazing.
-
Allaaan wrote:
She's Brilliant!
-
stuntcat wrote:
NOT to bust on Courtney Love, but Anita was way too special to be compared imho :)
-
xSoulExperience wrote:
Star Eyes !
-
momo_msr wrote:
Best version of: Is You is or is You Ain't My Baby!!
-
Nochek wrote:
very good. lOve.
-
cesarojedac wrote:
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby...!
-
foxyluva wrote:
The Courtney Love of her time. Fabulous woman.
-
myteaisgreen wrote:
*yawn*....
-
vaughnvhalen wrote:
------------------------------- The evening Breeze ..................................
-
fernento wrote:
She's SO underrated.
-
stuntcat wrote:
x2 Just in time! <3
-
murkymedicine wrote:
One cool dame.
-
stuntcat wrote:
Wow, I'm just figuring out who she is :O Better late than never though! She's fantastic!!!! <3 <3
-
Auland wrote:
Such a great, powerful singer!
-
elliegirl303 wrote:
an immortal voice and singing style. never get enough of this woman's voice. check out Anita O'day: Portrait of a Jazz Singer. Great docu. on a great lady.
-
brownieboy wrote:
Peanut Vendor!
-
AC-K wrote:
class!
-
darthpaula wrote:
If you love beautiful and talented Vivien Leigh, join us! http://www.lastfm.pl/group/Vivien+Leigh ♥
Videos
See more
Listening Now
Top Listeners
-
stuntcat
Top Listener
-
ElliotPerlman
Top Listener
-
THEMUSICMASTER
Top Listener
-
erjan03
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
ghost-opera123 added Anita O'Day to ghost-opera123’s library. yesterday evening
-
olololoa tagged Anita O'Day with ‘jazz’. yesterday afternoon
-
Rose_McKagan, chelfi, detourmann and 7 other people added Anita O'Day to their libraries. yesterday morning
-
sennns tagged Anita O'Day with ‘jazz’. Sunday morning
-
sennns, thomaslipo, SueNewberry and 33 other people added Anita O'Day to their libraries. Sunday morning
-
floor-a wrote about Various Artists – Verve Remixed 3 in kétezertizenegy---best of. last month
-
KinderTraum tagged Anita O'Day with ‘jazz’. last month
-
egija_ed, GuyJeffersonMBE and analouk added Anita O'Day to their libraries. last month
-
flower123garden tagged Anita O'Day with ‘anita oday’. last month
-
jdrider805, DarthFader2000, jazzyvoices and 6 other people added Anita O'Day to their libraries. last month
Related Journals
-
ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - December 2011
by esbartolo |
3 Jan 2012
-
ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - November 2011
by esbartolo |
3 Dec 2011
-
только мили в лондон, только версты в крым.
by ynambell |
9 Oct 2011
Groups (23)
-
Swing
953 members
-
Jazz Singers
892 members
-
Jazz Vocals
561 members
-
Classic Hollywood
532 members
-
Petőfi Rádió Listeners
413 members
More Information
- Links
- Labels
Email Newsletter
Get exclusive tour, release & promotion updates on Anita O'Day from Universal Music.
