Billie Holiday

Jazz Musician Billie Holiday Full Name: Billie Holiday [Eleanora Fagan]
Nationality:

United States of America
American

Profession: Jazz Musician
Why Famous: Nicknamed "Lady Day", she had 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.

Born: April 7, 1915
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Star Sign: Aries

Died: July 17, 1959 (aged 44)
Cause of Death: Complications from cirrhosis of the liver

Married Life

  • 1941-08-25 Jazz musician Billie Holiday (26) weds trombonist Jimmy Monroe
  • 1957-03-28 Jazz musician Billie Holiday (41) weds mafia enforcer Louis McKay

Historical Events in the Life of Billie Holiday

  • 1929-05-02 Billie Holiday (14) and her mother are arrested for prostitution following a raid of a brothel in Harlem
  • 1933-11-11 Billie Holiday's second song and first hit, "Riffin' the Scotch", is released
  • 1947-05-16 Billie Holiday is arrested in her New York apartment for possession of narcotics
  • 1948-03-16 Billie Holiday is released from prison early because of good behaviour
  • 1948-03-27 Just 11 days after being released from prison, Billie Holiday plays in front of a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall
  • 2014-06-08 Audra McDonald wins a Tony for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar And Grill"

Quotes by Billie Holiday

  • "You've got to have something to eat and a little love in your life before you can hold still for any damn body's sermon on how to behave."


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