1914 - 1996

Photo credits are listed at the end of the article. Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Va. on April 25, 1917. Her father, William, and mother, Temperance (Tempie), parted ways shortly after her birth. Together, Tempie and Ella went to Yonkers, N.Y, where they eventually moved in with Tempie’s half-sister, Frances, was born in 1923 and soon she began referring to Joe as her stepfather. pagepage 1 pagepage 22

ubbed “Te First Lady of hile on tour with hey came into Ella’s dressing room, where band Song,” was ’s band members Dizzy Gillespie and were the most popular female in 1946, Ella fell in shooting dice, and arrested everyone. “They took singer in the United love with bassist Ray Tus down,” Ella later recalled, “and then when we got there, DStates for more than half a century. Brown.W Te two were married and they had the nerve to ask for an autograph.” In her lifetime, she won 13 eventually adopted a son, whom they Grammy awards and sold named Ray, Jr. over 40 million albums. In 1974, Ella spent a legendary two weeks performing in New York with and . Her voice was fexible, wide-ranging, At the time, Ray was working for accurate and ageless. She could sing producer and manager Norman Granz sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate on the “” tour. In 1987, United States every instrument in an orchestra. She Norman saw that worked with all the jazz greats, from President Ronald Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat Ella had what it took to King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Reagan awarded Ella the Gillespie and Benny Goodman. be an international star, National Medal of Arts. f stage, and away from and he convinced Ella to sign with https://www.google.com/ people she knew well, Ella imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Ficonicimages. him. It was the beginning of a lifelong net%2Fapp%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F01%2FTW_EF009. It was one of her most prized moments. was shy and reserved. She business relationship and friendship. jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Ficonicimages.net%2F- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/55415 3929129020100/ was self-conscious about photo%2Ftw-ef009-ella-ftzgerald%2F&docid=Z7dtC- qO_9r1evM&tbnid=Ex3kBEva2I5lTM%3A&vet=10a- n September of 1986, Ella underwent quintuple Oher appearance, and for a while even nder Norman’s doubted the extent of her abilities. On coronary bypass surgery. Doctors also replaced a valve management, Ella stage, however, Ella was surprised to in her heart and diagnosed her with diabetes, which fnd she had no fear. She felt at home joined the Philharmonic they blamed for her failing eyesight. Ella returned to in the spotlight. tour, worked with Louis Ithe stage and pushed on with an exhaustive schedule. UArmstrong on several albums and began “Once up there, I felt producing her infamous songbook As the efects from her diabetes worsened, 76-year-old Ella series. experienced severe circulatory problems and was forced to the acceptance and have both of her legs amputated below the knees. love from my Unfortunately, busy work schedules also hurt Ray and Ella’s marriage. Te “I just want to smell the air, listen to the birds and hear audience,” Ella said. two divorced in 1952, but remained Alice laugh,” she said. “I knew I wanted to good friends for the rest of their lives. sing before people n June 15, 1996, Ella Fitzgerald died in her Bev- n the touring circuit it erly Hills home. A wreath of white fowers stood the rest of my life.” was well-known that next to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ella’s manager felt very Oand a marquee outside the Hollywood Bowl theater read, Ella was a major success, and Chick strongly about civil rights hired her to travel with the band for Oand required equal treatment for his $12.50 a week. musicians, regardless of their color. “Ella, we will miss you.” Article-http://www.ellaftzgerald.com/about/biography n June 16, 1939, Ella Once, while in Dallas touring for the Photo credits page 2: https://colormagazine.com/beat-hosts-tribute-ella-fitzgerald/; mourned the loss of her Philharmonic, a police squad irritated https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Ficonicimages.net%2Fapp%- 2Fuploads%2F2017%2F01%2FTW_EF001.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Ficonicimages. mentor Chick Webb. http://thegrandmalogbook.blogspot.com /2019/06/ella- English: Ella Fitzgerald during a concert on October 17, by Norman’s principles barged net%2Fphoto%2Ftw-ef001-ella-fitzgerald%2F&docid=y49VG4B7hf-aEM&tbnid=0jUb- ftzgerald-frst-lady-of-song.html 1975; in Cologne (Germany); Source; Helmut Montag. In his absence the band backstage to hassle the performers. jabO55WJ4M%3A&vet=10ahUKEwi0l8aV9q_mAhUXHM0KHdnrC1sQMwg2KAM- was renamed “Ella Fitzgerald and wAw..i&w=500&h=750&safe=strict&bih=718&biw=1310&q=ELLA%20FITZGERALD%20PHO- O TOS&ved=0ahUKEwi0l8aV9q_mAhUXHM0KHdnrC1sQMwg2KAMwAw&iact=mrc&uact=8; Her Famous Band,” and she took on https://www.wemu.org/post/dawn-giblin-celebrates-ella-fitzgerald-100; https://celeb- the overwhelming task of bandleader. poster.com/Ella-Fitzgerald-poster_2594911.html; Ella Fitzgerald sur la scène du festival de jazz à Antibes 1964.• Crédits : DOMINIQUE GONOT / INA - AFP; American singer Ella Fitzgerald performing. Chicago, Illinois. USA. 1948. Wayne Miller; Ella Fitzgerald en 1928. © Getty / ABC Photo Archives.

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