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Billie Holiday
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Billie Holiday (Eleanora Fagan Gough, Philadelphia, April 7, 1915 – New York City, July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter.
Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Above all, she was admired for her deeply personal and intimate approach to singing. Critic John Bush wrote that she “changed the art of American pop vocals forever. ” She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably “God Bless the Child”, “Don’t Explain”, and “Lady Sings the Blues”. She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including “Easy Living” and “Strange Fruit.”
Billie Holiday had a difficult childhood, which greatly affected her life and career. Not much is known about the true details of her early life, though stories of it appeared in her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues, first published in 1956 and later revealed to contain many inaccuracies.
Her professional pseudonym was taken from Billie Dove, an actress she admired, and Clarence Holiday, her probable father. At the outset of her career, she spelled her last name “Halliday”, presumably to distance herself from her neglectful father, but eventually changed it back to “Holiday”.
Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Above all, she was admired for her deeply personal and intimate approach to singing. Critic John Bush wrote that she “changed the art of American pop vocals forever. ” She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably “God Bless the Child”, “Don’t Explain”, and “Lady Sings the Blues”. She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including “Easy Living” and “Strange Fruit.”
Billie Holiday had a difficult childhood, which greatly affected her life and career. Not much is known about the true details of her early life, though stories of it appeared in her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues, first published in 1956 and later revealed to contain many inaccuracies.
Her professional pseudonym was taken from Billie Dove, an actress she admired, and Clarence Holiday, her probable father. At the outset of her career, she spelled her last name “Halliday”, presumably to distance herself from her neglectful father, but eventually changed it back to “Holiday”.
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The Mood That I'm In
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The Complete Commodore/Decca Masters
Billie Holiday
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All Of Me
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Don't Explain
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God Bless The Child
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Strange Fruit
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Easy Living
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What a Little Moonlight Can Do
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All Of Me
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You're My Thrill
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My Man
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Solitude
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Gloomy Sunday
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Blue Moon
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I'll Be Seeing You
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The Man I Love
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Don't Explain
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Them There Eyes
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Summertime
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Shoutbox
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tweeassfuck wrote:
"She was arrested for drug possession as she lay dying and her hospital room was raided by authorities." Billie Holiday: OG
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teca56nuzzo wrote:
...me sensibilizando...olhando sempre de outros olhares... sentindo os odores das palabras...ouvindo cheiros novos...
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Zeuq wrote:
love+peace
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samarheam wrote:
the story of billie, ah, ricky oh!
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optimistic_tour wrote:
oh Billie....
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Laepo wrote:
I'm a Fool to Want You
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whythe60shateus wrote:
strange fruit <3
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and_we_drown wrote:
Lady Day <3
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Ynarmousiest wrote:
Amo-a
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akyji wrote:
magic...
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ohh1972 wrote:
Her voice and her style will never be duplicated.
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igor_falc wrote:
Finest music in the world!
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babysista wrote:
I love Billie, all of Billie's music.
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ukulelel wrote:
brilliant
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EngelClaire wrote:
Einfach wundervoll!
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KicksclusiveJay wrote:
Shes like hot soup on a cold day... Simply Amazing.
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Laro20 wrote:
She's magical <3
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Candy_Kill_ wrote:
Cosmic voice ,just incredible ..<3
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goodquitegood wrote:
Her Voice Makes me feel like I'm home
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sara_paulina wrote:
oh billie...thx god I have u! I love the way u r....no no no...they can´t take you away from me...no no no they can´t take that away from me...
Videos
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News
From The Heart Series Featuring Billie Holiday
15 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/Billie Holiday
As the icy chill of winter settles in, thoughts turn to warmer times, and the sensuous prospects of Valentine’s Day around the corner. It’s a time that has always enjoyed its own special soundtrack...
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15 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/Billie Holiday -
8 Aug 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/Billie Holiday -
8 Aug 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/Billie Holiday
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Recent Activity
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reves63, electroluxpecul, Seagda2011 and 8 other people added Billie Holiday to their libraries. 13 minutes ago
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Hexoctahedron tagged Billie Holiday with ‘jazz’. 5 hours ago
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jsakuyahime, YoungGhostVyper, Soulperson and 5 other people added Billie Holiday to their libraries. 6 hours ago
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carot87 tagged Billie Holiday with vocal jazz, female vocalists, blues and one other tag. 10 hours ago
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drscanning, laflordeljazmin, cgottshalkjr and 6 other people added Billie Holiday to their libraries. 10 hours ago
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Ali_Mc929 tagged Billie Holiday with singer-songwriter, female vocalist, vocal jazz and one other tag. yesterday evening
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Goddess38, elishan, willthedaddy and 24 other people added Billie Holiday to their libraries. yesterday evening
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SpookyMorto tagged Billie Holiday with blues and jazz. yesterday morning
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