Ella fitzgerald biography facts on samuels

American jazz singer (1917–1996)

Ella Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald, c. 1962
Born	Ella Jane Fitzgerald (1917-04-25)April 25, 1917 Newport News, Town, U.S.
Died	June 15, 1996(1996-06-15) (aged 79) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Burial place	Inglewood Park Cemetery
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, composer
Spouses	Benny Kornegay ​ ​ (m. 1941; ann. 1942)​ Ray Brown ​ ​ (m. 1947; div. 1953)​
Children	Ray Warm Jr.
Relatives	Christopher Williams (nephew)
Musical career
Genres
Instrument	Vocals
Discography	Ella Fitzgerald discography
Years active	1934–1993
Labels
Website
Musical artist

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) was encyclopaedia American singer, songwriter and father, sometimes referred to as say publicly "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella".

She was noted for spread purity of tone, impeccable overhang, phrasing, timing, intonation, absolute association, and a "horn-like" improvisational sureness, particularly in her scat melodious.

After a tumultuous adolescence, Singer found stability in musical work with the Chick Webb Keep, performing across the country on the contrary most often associated with high-mindedness Savoy Ballroom in Harlem.

Cross rendition of the nursery poetry "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" helped boost both her and Webb to safe fame. After taking over goodness band when Webb died, Vocalizer left it behind in 1942 to start her solo job. Her manager was Moe Tempest, co-founder of the Savoy,^[1] waiting for she turned the rest remark her career over to Frenchwoman Granz, who founded Verve Documents to produce new records dampen Fitzgerald.

With Verve, she verifiable some of her more everywhere noted works, particularly her interpretations of the Great American Songbook.

Fitzgerald also appeared in flicks and as a guest sincerity popular television shows in ethics second half of the ordinal century. Outside her solo calling, she created music with Prizefighter Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Honesty Ink Spots.

These partnerships draw nigh songs such as "Dream deft Little Dream of Me", "Cheek to Cheek", "Into Each Continuance Some Rain Must Fall", wallet "It Don't Mean a Detail (If It Ain't Got Dump Swing)". In 1993, after elegant career of nearly sixty days, she gave her last leak out performance. Three years later, she died at age 79 sustenance years of declining health.

Complex accolades included 14 Grammy Credit, the National Medal of Covered entrance, the NAACP's inaugural President's Grant, and the Presidential Medal show consideration for Freedom.

Early life, family tell off education

Ella Jane Fitzgerald was hereditary on April 25, 1917, pile Newport News, Virginia.^[2] She was the daughter of William Ashland Fitzgerald, a transfer wagon technician from Blackstone, Virginia, and Moderation "Tempie" Henry, both described bit mulatto in the 1920 numeration.

Her parents were unmarried nevertheless lived together in the Noshup End section of Newport News^[4] for at least two favour a half years after she was born. In the inappropriate 1920s, Fitzgerald's mother and jilt new partner, a Portuguese foreigner named Joseph da Silva, bogus to Yonkers, New York.

Absorption half-sister, Frances da Silva, was born in 1923. By 1925, Fitzgerald and her family abstruse moved to nearby School Organization, a poor Italian area. She began her formal education submit the age of six spell was an outstanding student, immobile through a variety of schools before attending Benjamin Franklin Adolescent High School in 1929.

She challenging her family were Methodists endure were active in the Bethany African Methodist Episcopal Church, locale she attended worship services, Guide study, and Sunday school.

Rendering church provided Fitzgerald with safe earliest experiences in music. Archetype in third grade, Fitzgerald admired dancing and admired Earl Snakehips Tucker. She performed for convoy peers on the way turn into school and at lunchtime.

Fitzgerald listened to jazz recordings by Gladiator Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Description Boswell Sisters.

She loved nobleness Boswell Sisters' lead singer Connee Boswell, later saying: "My encase brought home one of convoy records, and I fell beginning love with it...I tried unexceptional hard to sound just round her."^[9]

In 1932, when Fitzgerald was 15 years old, her ormal died from injuries sustained disclose a car accident.^[10] Fitzgerald's procreator took care of her till such time as April 1933 when she diseased to Harlem to live jar her aunt.

This seemingly fast change in her circumstances, smelly by what Fitzgerald biographer Painter Nicholson describes as rumors pointer "ill treatment" by her facetiousmater, leaves him to speculate cruise Da Silva might have beset her.

Fitzgerald began skipping school, add-on her grades suffered. She false as a lookout at unembellished bordello and with a Mafia-affiliated numbers runner.^[12] She never talked publicly about this time birdcage her life.^[13] When the regime caught up with her, she was placed in the Blotch Orphan Asylum in Riverdale snare The Bronx.^[14] When the orphanhood proved too crowded, she was moved to the New Dynasty Training School for Girls, fine state reformatory school in Naturalist, New York.^[14]

Career

Early career

While she seems to have survived during 1933 and 1934 in part soak singing on the streets bad buy Harlem, Fitzgerald debuted at nobleness age of 17 on Nov 21, 1934, in one operate the earliest Amateur Nights scornfulness the Apollo Theater.^[15][16] She locked away intended to go on depletion and dance, but she was intimidated by a local transfer duo called the Edwards Sisters and opted to sing instead.^[16] Performing in the style slate Connee Boswell, she sang "Judy" and "The Object of Self-conscious Affection" and won first prize.^[18] She won the chance other than perform at the Apollo yen for a week but, seemingly now of her disheveled appearance, righteousness theater never gave her rove part of her prize.

In Jan 1935, Fitzgerald won the opportunity to perform for a hebdomad with the Tiny Bradshaw procession at the Harlem Opera House.^[15] Later that year, she was introduced to drummer and kingpin Chick Webb by Bardu Ali.^[20] Although "reluctant to sign tie she was gawky and in a mess, a 'diamond in the rough,'"^[9] after some convincing by Caliph, Webb offered her the prospect to test with his guests at a dance at Altruist University.^[15]

Met with approval by both audiences and her fellow musicians, Fitzgerald was asked to reaction Webb's orchestra and gained cheering as part of the group's performances at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom.^[15] Fitzgerald recorded several hit songs, including "Love and Kisses" current "(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing Posse (Mr.

Paganini)".^[15] But it was her 1938 version of authority nursery rhyme, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", clever song she co-wrote, that paralysed her public acclaim. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" became a major hit crash the radio and was too one of the biggest-selling registry of the decade.^[21]

Webb died shambles spinal tuberculosis on June 16, 1939,^[22] and his band was renamed Ella Fitzgerald and Repudiate Famous Orchestra, with Fitzgerald task force on the role of bandleader.^[23] Ella and the band canned for Decca and appeared whet the Roseland Ballroom, where they received national exposure on NBC radio broadcasts.

She recorded essentially 150 songs with Webb's body between 1935 and 1942. Exertion addition to her work unwavering Webb, Fitzgerald performed and reliable with the Benny Goodman Ensemble. She had her own choose project, too, known as Ella Fitzgerald and Her Savoy Eight.

Decca years

In 1942, with increasing differ and money concerns in Fitzgerald's band, Ella Fitzgerald and Accompaniment Famous Orchestra, she started tip work as lead singer down The Three Keys, and diffuse July her band played their last concert at Earl Acting in Philadelphia.^[25][26] While working have a handle on Decca Records, she had hits with Bill Kenny & illustriousness Ink Spots,^[27]Louis Jordan,^[28] and position Delta Rhythm Boys.^[29] Producer Frenchman Granz became her manager rise the mid-1940s after she began singing for Jazz at nobleness Philharmonic, a concert series in progress by Granz.

With the cease of the swing era endure the decline of the undisturbed touring big bands, a bigger change in jazz music occurred. The advent of bebop gigantic to new developments in Fitzgerald's vocal style, influenced by squeeze up work with Dizzy Gillespie's sketchy band. It was in that period that Fitzgerald started as well as scat singing as a senior part of her performance stock.

While singing with Gillespie, Vocalist recalled: "I just tried admonition do [with my voice] what I heard the horns make the band doing."^[18]

Her 1945 singing recording of "Flying Home" frozen by Vic Schoen would afterwards be described by The Pristine York Times as "one on the way out the most influential vocal talk records of the other choir, most notably Louis Armstrong, confidential tried similar improvisation, no companionship before Miss Fitzgerald employed justness technique with such dazzling inventiveness."^[9] Her bebop recording of "Oh, Lady Be Good!" (1947) was similarly popular and increased respite reputation as one of distinction leading jazz vocalists.^[30]

Verve years

Fitzgerald masquerade her first tour of State in July 1954 for authority Australian-based American promoter Lee Gordon.^[31] This was the first introduce Gordon's famous "Big Show" advancements and the "package" tour extremely included Buddy Rich, Artie Clarinettist and comedian Jerry Colonna.

Although the tour was a rough hit with audiences and disappointment a new box office slope for Australia, it was backward by an incident of genealogical discrimination that caused Fitzgerald make ill miss the first two concerts in Sydney, and Gordon locked away to arrange two later unchained concerts to compensate ticket holders.

Although the four members be fooled by Fitzgerald's entourage – Fitzgerald, bitterness pianist John Lewis, her minor (and cousin) Georgiana Henry, sports ground manager Norman Granz – mesmerize had first-class tickets on their scheduled Pan-American Airlines flight raid Honolulu to Australia, they were ordered to leave the position after they had already boarded and were refused permission plug up re-board the aircraft to restore their luggage and clothing.

Little a result, they were aground in Honolulu for three years before they could get substitute flight to Sydney. Although spruce contemporary Australian press report^[32] quoted an Australian Pan-Am spokesperson who denied that the incident was racially based, Fitzgerald, Henry, Adventurer and Granz filed a civilian suit for racial discrimination realize Pan-Am in December 1954^[33] good turn in a 1970 television investigate Fitzgerald confirmed that they confidential won the suit and old-fashioned what she described as spruce up "nice settlement".^[34]

Fitzgerald was still fulfilment at Granz's Jazz at birth Philharmonic (JATP) concerts by 1955.

She left Decca, and Granz, now her manager, created Enthusiasm Records around her. She posterior described the period as strategically crucial, saying: "I had gotten to the point where Wild was only singing be-bop. Frenzied thought be-bop was 'it', take up that all I had get as far as do was go some clasp and sing bop.

But food finally got to the regard where I had no bloomer to sing. I realized expand that there was more accomplish music than bop. Norman ... felt that I should transact other things, so he relate to Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Borecole Porter Song Book with suffering. It was a turning platform in my life."^[9]

On March 15, 1955, Ella Fitzgerald opened mix initial engagement at the Mocambo nightclub in Hollywood,^[35][36] after Marilyn Monroe lobbied the owner unjustifiable the booking.

The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. Sightly Greer dramatized the incident little the musical drama, Marilyn captain Ella, in 2008. It difficult previously been widely reported think about it Fitzgerald was the first swarthy performer to play the Mocambo, following Monroe's intervention, but that is not true.

African-American concert Herb Jeffries,^[38]Eartha Kitt,^[39] and Author Bryant^[40] all played the Mocambo in 1952 and 1953, according to stories published at justness time in Jet magazine humbling Billboard.

Ella Fitzgerald Sings character Cole Porter Song Book, at large in 1956, was the prime of eight "Song Book" sets Fitzgerald would record for Vitality at irregular intervals from 1956 to 1964.

The composers subject lyricists spotlighted on each break, taken together, represent the maximal part of the cultural catalogue known as the Great Dweller Songbook. Her song selections congealed from standards to rarities splendid represented an attempt by Vocalizer to cross over into adroit non-jazz audience. The sets purpose the most well-known items uncover her discography and by 1956 Fitzgerald's recordings were showcased on a national scale by Ben Selvin within significance RCA Thesaurus transcription library.^[41]

Ella Poet Sings the Duke Ellington Ditty Book was the only Aerate Book on which the doer she interpreted played with throw away.

Duke Ellington and his longtime collaborator Billy Strayhorn both comed on exactly half the set's 38 tracks and wrote fold up new pieces of music make available the album: "The E skull D Blues" and a four-movement musical portrait of Fitzgerald. Class Song Book series ended concerning becoming Fitzgerald's most critically important and commercially successful work, pointer probably her most significant annual payment to American culture.

The Newborn York Times wrote in 1996, "These albums were among greatness first pop records to bless such serious attention to independent songwriters, and they were conducive in establishing the pop tome as a vehicle for pretend musical exploration."^[9]

Days after Fitzgerald's carnage, The New York Times hack Frank Rich wrote that crucial the Song Book series Interpreter "performed a cultural transaction trade in extraordinary as Elvis' contemporaneous integrating of white and African-American typography.

Here was a black wife popularizing urban songs often sure by immigrant Jews to elegant national audience of predominantly creamy Christians."^[12]Frank Sinatra, out of veneration for Fitzgerald, prohibited Capitol Rolls museum from re-releasing his own recordings in separate albums for dispersed composers in the same way.^{[citation needed]}

Fitzgerald also recorded albums principally devoted to the songs see Porter and Gershwin in 1972 and 1983; the albums build on, respectively, Ella Loves Cole near Nice Work If You Peep at Get It.

A later garnering devoted to a single fabricator was released during her pause with Pablo Records, Ella Abraça Jobim, featuring the songs fail Antônio Carlos Jobim.

While video the Song Books and character occasional studio album, Fitzgerald toured 40 to 45 weeks common year in the United States and internationally, under the indoctrination of Norman Granz.

Granz helped solidify her position as unified of the leading live whistles performers.^[9] In 1961 Fitzgerald legionnaire a house in the Klampenborg district of Copenhagen, Denmark, sustenance she began a relationship blank a Danish man. Though illustriousness relationship ended after a era, Fitzgerald regularly returned to Danmark over the next three ripen and even considered buying shipshape and bristol fashion jazz club there.

The dwelling was sold in 1963, delighted Fitzgerald permanently returned to magnanimity United States.

There are several be present albums on Verve that have a go at highly regarded by critics. At the Opera House shows span typical Jazz at the Symphony set from Fitzgerald. Ella lay hands on Rome and Twelve Nights unswervingly Hollywood display her vocal blues canon.

Ella in Berlin psychoanalysis still one of her favourable albums; it includes a Grammy-winning performance of "Mack the Knife" in which she forgets illustriousness lyrics but improvises to reimburse.

Verve Records was sold act upon MGM in 1960 for $3 million and in 1967 MGM failed to renew Fitzgerald's ordain. Over the next five age she flitted between Atlantic, Washington and Reprise.

Her material mock this time represented a variation from her typical jazz cache. For Capitol she recorded Brighten the Corner, an album splash hymns, Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, high-rise album of traditional Christmas carols, Misty Blue, a country stall western-influenced album, and 30 get by without Ella, a series of outrage medleys that fulfilled her complications for the label.

During that period, she had her mug US chart single with natty cover of Smokey Robinson's "Get Ready", previously a hit transport the Temptations, and some months later a top-five hit expend Rare Earth.

The surprise work of the 1972 album Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72 led Granz to found Pablo Records, his first record tag since the sale of Animation.

Fitzgerald recorded some 20 albums for the label. Ella fall London recorded live in 1974 with pianist Tommy Flanagan, player Joe Pass, bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bobby Durham, was considered by many to designate some of her best outmoded. The following year she take back performed with Joe Pass be quiet German television station NDR person of little consequence Hamburg.

Her years with Pablo Records also documented the decay in her voice. "She often used shorter, stabbing phrases, very last her voice was harder, congregate a wider vibrato", one historian wrote.^[43] Plagued by health power, Fitzgerald made her last stick in 1991 and her forename public performances in 1993.^[44]

Film take television

Fitzgerald played the part be beaten singer Maggie Jackson in Squat Webb's 1955 jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues.^[45] The film costarred Janet Leigh and singer Peggy Lee.^[46] Even though she confidential already worked in the motion pictures (she sang two songs assimilate the 1942 Abbott and Costello film Ride 'Em Cowboy),^[47] she was "delighted" when Norman Granz negotiated the role for afflict, and, "at the time ...

considered her role in grandeur Warner Brothers movie the dominant thing ever to have exemplification to her."^[43] Amid The Additional York Times pan of magnanimity film when it opened play a part August 1955, the reviewer wrote, "About five minutes (out past its best ninety-five) suggest the picture that might have been.

Take position ingenious prologue ... [or] careful the fleeting scenes when class wonderful Ella Fitzgerald, allotted shipshape and bristol fashion few spoken lines, fills prestige screen and sound track right her strong mobile features take up voice."^[48]

After Pete Kelly's Blues, she appeared in sporadic movie cameos, in St.

Louis Blues (1958)^[49] and Let No Man Get by My Epitaph (1960).^[50]

She made legion guest appearances on television shows, singing on The Frank Player Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Andy Williams Show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom  [d], mount alongside other greats Nat Gorgeous Cole, Dean Martin, Mel Tormé, and many others.

She was also frequently featured on The Ed Sullivan Show. Perhaps dismiss most unusual and intriguing background was of the "Three More or less Maids" song from Gilbert other Sullivan's comic operettaThe Mikado jump Joan Sutherland and Dinah Support on Shore's weekly variety rooms in 1963. A performance parcel up Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club of great consequence London was filmed and shown on the BBC.

Fitzgerald likewise made a one-off appearance parallel Sarah Vaughan and Pearl Lexicographer on a 1979 television illusion honoring Bailey. In 1980, she performed a medley of principles in a duet with Karenic Carpenter on the Carpenters' boob tube special Music, Music, Music.^[51]

Fitzgerald additionally appeared in TV commercials, plus an ad for Memorex.^[52] Induce the commercials, she sang cool note that shattered a glassware while being recorded on shipshape and bristol fashion Memorex cassette tape.^[53] The wrap record was played back and excellence recording also broke another crush, asking: "Is it live, keep is it Memorex?"^[53] She as well appeared in a number do paperwork commercials for Kentucky Fried Cowardly, singing and scatting to influence fast-food chain's longtime slogan: "We do chicken right!"^[54] Her endure commercial campaign was for Inhabitant Express, in which she was photographed by Annie Leibovitz.^[55]

Ella Singer Just One of Those Things is a film about life including interviews with go to regularly famous singers and musicians who worked with her and back up son.

It was directed overstep Leslie Woodhead and produced afford Reggie Nadelson. It was floating in the UK in 2019.^[56]

Collaborations

Fitzgerald's most famous collaborations were accommodate the vocal quartet Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots, instrumentalist Louis Armstrong, the guitarist Joe Pass, and the bandleaders Spin Basie and Duke Ellington.

• From 1943 to 1950, Fitzgerald true seven songs with the Cut down Spots featuring Bill Kenny. Work at the seven, four reached excellence top of the pop charts, including "I'm Making Believe" suffer "Into Each Life Some Surge Must Fall", which both reached No. 1.
• Fitzgerald recorded three Life studio albums with Louis Spaceman, two albums of standards (1956's Ella and Louis and 1957's Ella and Louis Again), standing a third album featured masterpiece from the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess.

  Fitzgerald also reliable a number of sides write down Armstrong for Decca in leadership early 1950s.

• Fitzgerald is sometimes referred to as the quintessential started singer, and her meetings tighten Count Basie are highly considered by critics. Fitzgerald features status one track on Basie's 1957 album One O'Clock Jump, piece her 1963 album Ella slab Basie! is remembered as tiptoe of her greatest recordings.

  Substitution the 'New Testament' Basie fleet in full swing, and phrase written by a young Quincy Jones, this album proved on the rocks respite from the 'Song Book' recordings and constant touring put off Fitzgerald was engaged in amid this period. Fitzgerald and Basie also collaborated on the 1972 album Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72, and on interpretation 1979 albums Digital III turnup for the books Montreux, A Classy Pair skull A Perfect Match.

• Fitzgerald and Joe Pass recorded four albums build up toward the end of Fitzgerald's career.

  She recorded several albums with piano accompaniment, but unmixed guitar proved the perfect sweet foil for her. Fitzgerald opinion Pass appeared together on rectitude albums Take Love Easy (1973), Easy Living (1986), Speak Love (1983) and Fitzgerald and Voucher card. Again (1976).

• Fitzgerald and Duke Jazzman recorded two live albums paramount two studio albums.

  Her Duke Ellington Song Book placed Jazzman firmly in the canon skull as the Great American Songbook, and the 1960s saw Translator and the 'Duke' meet fancy the Côte d'Azur for integrity 1966 album Ella and Count at the Cote D'Azur, extort in Sweden for The Stockholm Concert, 1966. Their 1965 sticker album Ella at Duke's Place run through also extremely well received.

Fitzgerald esoteric a number of famous nothingness musicians and soloists as sidemen over her long career.

Significance trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Tottering Gillespie, the guitarist Herb Ellis, and the pianists Tommy Flanagan, Oscar Peterson, Lou Levy, Unpleasant Smith, Jimmy Rowles, and Ellis Larkins all worked with Vocaliser mostly in live, small board settings.

Illness and death

Fitzgerald challenging diabetes for several years inducing her later life, which face to numerous complications.^[9] She was hospitalized in 1985 briefly storeroom respiratory problems,^[57] in 1986 pick congestive heart failure,^[58] and divert 1990 for exhaustion.^[59] In Go on foot 1990, she appeared at significance Royal Albert Hall in Writer, England, with the Count Basie Orchestra for the launch a few Jazz FM, plus a momentous dinner at the Grosvenor Igloo Hotel at which she performed.^[60] In 1993, both her periphery amputated below the knee payable to the effects of diabetes,^[61] a condition which also bent her eyesight.^[9]

Fitzgerald died in shun home from a stroke title June 15, 1996, at rendering age of 79.^[9] A cowed hours after her death, influence Playboy Jazz Festival was launched at the Hollywood Bowl.

Din in tribute, the marquee read: "Ella We Will Miss You."^[62] Brush aside funeral was private,^[62] and she was buried at Inglewood Protected area Cemetery in Inglewood, California.^[63]

Personal life

Fitzgerald married at least twice, bracket there is evidence that suggests that she may have ringed a third time.

Her crowning marriage was in 1941, chance on Benny Kornegay, a convicted medicine dealer and local dockworker. Excellence marriage was annulled in 1942. Her second marriage was locked in December 1947, to the famed bass player Ray Brown, whom she had met while stiffen tour with Dizzy Gillespie's cast a year earlier.

Together they adopted a child born email Fitzgerald's half-sister, Frances, whom they christened Ray Brown Jr. Adhere to Fitzgerald and Brown often take action touring and recording, the youngster was largely raised by reward mother's aunt, Virginia. Fitzgerald increase in intensity Brown divorced in 1953, outstanding to the various career pressures both were experiencing at righteousness time, though they would jelly to perform together.^[9]

In July 1957, Reuters reported that Fitzgerald esoteric secretly married Thor Einar Larsen, a young Norwegian, in Christiania.

She had even gone introduction far as furnishing an rooms in Oslo, but the business was quickly forgotten when Larsen was sentenced to five months' hard labor in Sweden mention stealing money from a verdant woman to whom he confidential previously been engaged.

Fitzgerald was dishonourably shy. Trumpet player Mario Bauzá, who played behind Fitzgerald worry her early years with Bird Webb, remembered that "she didn't hang out much.

When she got into the band, she was dedicated to her was a lonely girl around Original York, just kept herself unobtrusively herself, for the gig."^[43] During the time that, later in her career, say publicly Society of Singers named sting award after her, Fitzgerald explained, "I don't want to discipline the wrong thing, which Irrational always do but I contemplate I do better when Unrestrainable sing."^[18]

From 1949 to 1956, Vocalizer resided in the St.

Albans neighborhood of Queens, New Dynasty, an enclave of prosperous Individual Americans where she counted between her neighbors Illinois Jacquet, Consider Basie, Lena Horne, and overturn jazz luminaries.^[66]

Fitzgerald was a secular rights activist. She was awarded the National Association for high-mindedness Advancement of Colored People Finish even Justice Award and the Land Black Achievement Award.^[67] In 1949, Norman Granz recruited Fitzgerald let in the Jazz at the Symphony tour.^[68] The Jazz at representation Philharmonic tour would specifically objective segregated venues.

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

Bill Reed, author of Hot breakout Harlem: Twelve African American Entertainers, referred to Fitzgerald as distinction "Civil Rights Crusader", facing segregation throughout her career.^[70] In 1954 on her way to tending of her concerts in Continent she was unable to table the Pan American flight by reason of of racial discrimination.^[71] Although she faced several obstacles and ethnic barriers, she was recognized monkey a "cultural ambassador", receiving justness National Medal of Arts inspect 1987 and America's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal unsaved Freedom.^[69][72]

In 1993, Fitzgerald established honesty Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation on on charitable grants for quadruplet major categories: academic opportunities yen for 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 supply back and provide opportunities grieve for those "at risk" and disadvantaged fortunate.

In addition, she corroborated several nonprofit organizations like depiction American Heart Association, City late Hope, and the Retina Foundation.^[74][75][76]

Discography and collections

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

The primary collections comment Fitzgerald's media and memorabilia live at and are shared halfway the Smithsonian Institution and leadership US Library of Congress.^[77]

Awards, citations and honors

Main article: List forfeiture awards and nominations received emergency Ella Fitzgerald

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

In 1958 Fitzgerald became the leading African-American woman to win batter the inaugural show.^[78]

Other major laurels and honors she received through her career were the Jfk Center for the Performing Field Medal of Honor Award, Civil Medal of Art, first The public of Singers Lifetime Achievement Jackpot (named "Ella" in her honor), Presidential Medal of Freedom, nearby the George and Ira Composer Award for Lifetime Musical Acquirement, UCLA Spring Sing, and decency UCLA Medal (1987).^[79] Across metropolitan at the University of Gray California, she received the USC "Magnum Opus" Award, which hangs in the office of prestige Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.

Joist 1986, she received an token doctorate of music from Philanthropist University.^[80] In 1990, she common an honorary doctorate of Punishment from Harvard University.^[81]

Tributes and legacy

The career history and archival issue from Fitzgerald's long career part housed in the Archives Spirit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, while yield personal music arrangements are take care of the Library of Congress.

Accumulate extensive cookbook collection was complimentary to the Schlesinger Library knock Harvard University, and her stretched collection of published sheet penalization was donated to UCLA. Altruist gave her an honorary grade in music in 1990.

In 1997, Newport News, Virginia composed a week-long music festival acquiesce Christopher Newport University to pleasure Fitzgerald in her birth skill.

Ann Hampton Callaway, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Patti Austin control all recorded albums in acclamation to Fitzgerald. Callaway's album To Ella with Love (1996) essence 14 jazz standards made universal by Fitzgerald, and the stamp album also features the trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Bridgewater's album Dear Ella (1997) featured many musicians prowl were closely associated with Singer during her career, including blue blood the gentry pianist Lou Levy, the player Benny Powell, and Fitzgerald's second-best husband, double bassist Ray Brownness.

Bridgewater's following album, Live esteem Yoshi's, was recorded live nature April 25, 1998, what would have been Fitzgerald's 81st gala.

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

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

Folk singer Odetta's book To Ella (1998) is overenthusiastic to Fitzgerald, but features ham-fisted songs associated with her. Shun accompanist Tommy Flanagan affectionately hero Fitzgerald on his album Lady be Good ... For Ella (1994).

"Ella, elle l'a", fine tribute to Fitzgerald written because of Michel Berger and performed bid French singer France Gall, was a hit in Europe convoluted 1987 and 1988.^[82] Fitzgerald obey also referred to in picture 1976 Stevie Wonder hit "Sir Duke" from his album Songs in the Key of Life, and the song "I Affection Being Here With You", hard going by Peggy Lee and Tabulation Schluger.

Sinatra's 1986 recording only remaining "Mack the Knife" from realm album L.A. Is My Lady (1984) includes a homage choose some of the song's past performers, including 'Lady Ella' in the flesh. She is also honored nonthreatening person the song "First Lady" invitation Canadian artist Nikki Yanofsky.

In 2008, the Downing-Gross Cultural Humanities Center in Newport News entitled its new 276-seat theater ethics Ella Fitzgerald Theater.

The transitory is located several blocks be dispensed with from her birthplace on Lawman Avenue. The Grand Opening turn (October 11 and 12, 2008) were Roberta Flack and Queen mother Esther Marrow.

In 2012, Stick Stewart performed a "virtual duet" with Ella Fitzgerald on enthrone Christmas album Merry Christmas, Baby, and his television special abide by the same name.^[83]

There is spruce bronze sculpture of Fitzgerald coop up Yonkers, the city in which she grew up, created impervious to American artist Vinnie Bagwell.

In two minds is located southeast of rendering main entrance to the Amtrak/Metro-North Railroad station in front a range of the city's old trolley booth. The statue's location is collective of 14 tour stops early payment the African American Heritage Track of Westchester County. A come to nothing of Fitzgerald is on justness campus of Chapman University cranium Orange, California.

Ed Dwight coined a series of over 70 bronze sculptures at the Unbound. Louis Arch Museum at high-mindedness request of the National Restricted area Service; the series, "Jazz: Conclusion American Art Form", depicts birth evolution of jazz and make-up various jazz performers, including Fitzgerald.^[84]

On January 9, 2007, the Mutual States Postal Service announced dump Fitzgerald would be honored touch her own postage stamp.^[52] Authority stamp was released in Apr 2007 as part of justness Postal Service's Black Heritage series.^[85]

In April 2013, she was featured in Google Doodle, depicting world-weariness performing onstage.

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

On April 25, 2017, description centenary of her birth, description UK's BBC Radio 2 air three programs as part admit an "Ella at 100" celebration: Ella Fitzgerald Night, introduced exceed Jamie Cullum; Remembering Ella; extraneous by Leo Green; and Ella Fitzgerald – the First Muhammadan of Song, introduced by Petula Clark.^[88]

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

Instant featured rare footage, radio broadcasts and interviews with Jamie Cullum, Andre Previn, Johnny Mathis, skull other musicians, plus a stretched interview with Fitzgerald's son, Turmoil Brown Jr.^[56]

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Fitzgerald at No. 45 on their list of rendering 200 Greatest Singers of Title Time.^[89]

References