Billie Holiday Facts

Billie Holiday is one of the most influence jazz artists of all time. Eleanora Fagan (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), better known as Billie Holiday, was an American jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. Nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and music partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. She was known for her vocal delivery and improvisational skills, which made up for her limited range and lack of formal music education.

References: Ostendorf, Berndt (January 1, 1993). “Review of Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday”. Popular Music.