100 years ago, Billie Holiday was born.

TheNighSwan · Apr 7, 2015

On this day, exactly 100 years ago, Billie Holiday war born as Elanaora Fagan. She lived only 44 years of a harsh and difficult life, and only sung for 26 years, but that small window was enough to consecrate her as the greatest jazz vocalist who ever lived, and possibly as the greatest vocalist of the 20th century.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGAvnOSbJ_M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMDlk6lGQOk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulGwHzrKOAU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45YPO2FyXVI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKqxG09wlIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Web007rzSOI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIgVCU19pjg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2c855pZxgQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_1LfT1MvzI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbN_aB8OIv8

Maze Runner · Apr 7, 2015

Yeah, if not the greatest jazz singer, one of them. At a certain point I think it becomes subjective, but Billie's always been one of my top four or five.

If anyone's interested, here's an excerpt from Maya Angelou's Heart of a Woman, where she recounts her first meeting with a straight-talking, no-tolerance-for-any-BS Billie Holiday. A read well-spent for anyone who appreciates either or both.

http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/2014/05/great-encounters-36-maya-angelou-met-billie-holiday/

100 years ago, Billie Holiday was born.

TheNighSwan

Maze Runner