Short Biography

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter.

Nicknamed Lady Day[1] by her sometime collaborator Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz, and pop singers` critic John Bush[2] wrote that she "changed the art of American pop vocals forever." Her vocal style — strongly inspired by instrumentalists — pioneered a new way of manipulating wording and tempo, and also popularized a more personal and intimate approach to singing.

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."

Miscellaneous Information

Friends and Family

Johnny Mercer [Friend]

Clarence Holiday [Father]

Sadie Harris [Mother]

Who's Dated Who content is contributed and edited by our readers. Please report errors or omissions on this page.