Ella Fitzgerald
"The First Lady of Song"
"The First Lady of Song"
Born in Newport News, Virginia in 1917, Ella Fitzgerald had divorced parents shortly after the day of her birth, April 25th. After her parents divorce, Ella and her mom Temperance or "Tempie" moved in with a long time boyfriend of her mom's who later became her stepfather, Joe. Tempie and Joe had a baby girl named Frances. This family of four was struggling through the rough times. Joe working several jobs, as well as Tempie, and even Ella herself picked up some odd jobs such as being a runner for gamblers. This was only the start of her rough times.
In 1932, Tempie got in a car accident and due to the injuries, she died. After the death, Ella moved in with her aunt. Shortly after moving out of Joe's, Frances moved in with Ella because Joe died of a heart attack. Due to this rough patch, her grades slipped, she skipped school, and eventually got put into a reform school. She hated it there. At the age of fifteen she got out and was living on her own. These struggles only helped her in the future. In every performance, she put those emotions into everything she sang and was grateful for everything she was given in her success.
In 1934, her name was pulled into a drawing at the Apollo Theater. She was going to dance but after seeing the act before her, she decided not to dance and at the last minute she made the choice to sing instead. That was when her whole life change. Benny Carter was a saxophonist who played in the band and started to introduce her to the big names in music to launch her career.
After recording and such she toured with Dizzy Gillespie's and fell in love with the bassist, Ray Brown. The two were married and adopted a son, Ray Jr. She didn't just always sing, she also made appearances on TV shows. Because of her busy schedule, her marriage was going down the dumps and later a divorce was apart of Ella's life. Though they did remain good friends.
In September of 1986, Ella underwent quintuple coronary bypass surgery. Doctors also replaced a valve in her heart and diagnosed her with diabetes, which they blamed for her failing eyesight. Though press was spreading rumors about her not being able to sing again, she proved them wrong and continued performing with an exhausting schedule. Her diabetes later worsened and eventually had to get her legs amputated and later died of natural cause.
In her lifetime she won 13 Grammy awards, recorded 200 albums, and sold over 40 million of those albums. Ella performed with the big names; Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, the Gershwins, and many, many more.
I see Ella as a hero. She went from the rough times to the big times. Ella has been through it all and never once asked someone from help. She made it on her own for awhile and it made her the great person she was and everyone knew she was.
source one
source two
In 1932, Tempie got in a car accident and due to the injuries, she died. After the death, Ella moved in with her aunt. Shortly after moving out of Joe's, Frances moved in with Ella because Joe died of a heart attack. Due to this rough patch, her grades slipped, she skipped school, and eventually got put into a reform school. She hated it there. At the age of fifteen she got out and was living on her own. These struggles only helped her in the future. In every performance, she put those emotions into everything she sang and was grateful for everything she was given in her success.
In 1934, her name was pulled into a drawing at the Apollo Theater. She was going to dance but after seeing the act before her, she decided not to dance and at the last minute she made the choice to sing instead. That was when her whole life change. Benny Carter was a saxophonist who played in the band and started to introduce her to the big names in music to launch her career.
After recording and such she toured with Dizzy Gillespie's and fell in love with the bassist, Ray Brown. The two were married and adopted a son, Ray Jr. She didn't just always sing, she also made appearances on TV shows. Because of her busy schedule, her marriage was going down the dumps and later a divorce was apart of Ella's life. Though they did remain good friends.
In September of 1986, Ella underwent quintuple coronary bypass surgery. Doctors also replaced a valve in her heart and diagnosed her with diabetes, which they blamed for her failing eyesight. Though press was spreading rumors about her not being able to sing again, she proved them wrong and continued performing with an exhausting schedule. Her diabetes later worsened and eventually had to get her legs amputated and later died of natural cause.
In her lifetime she won 13 Grammy awards, recorded 200 albums, and sold over 40 million of those albums. Ella performed with the big names; Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, the Gershwins, and many, many more.
I see Ella as a hero. She went from the rough times to the big times. Ella has been through it all and never once asked someone from help. She made it on her own for awhile and it made her the great person she was and everyone knew she was.
source one
source two
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