[85], On January 9, 2007, the United States Postal Service announced that Fitzgerald would be honored with her own postage stamp. And Bing Crosby once said, "Man, woman or child, Ella is the greatest of them all.". In 1987, United States President Ronald Reagan awarded Ella the National Medal of Arts. [72] Although she faced several obstacles and racial barriers, she was recognized as a "cultural ambassador", receiving the National Medal of Arts in 1987 and America's highest non-military honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Following Webb's death in 1939, Fitzgerald became the leader of the band, which was renamed Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra. In mid 1936, Ella made her first recording. Accessed March 19, 2022. https://www.npr.org/2019/09/05/749021799/the-joy-of-ella-fitzgeralds-accessible-elegance. Later that year, Fitzgerald recorded her second hit, "I Found My Yellow Basket.". She worked with all the jazz greats, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman. Ella: A Life - Ella Fitzgerald: The First Lady Of Jazz - LibGuides at Simmons College Library and Information Sciences A short history of jazz music, a biography of Ella, and some resources to start your listening A biography for Ella Fitzgerald Skip to Main Content Simmons College Library and Information Sciences LibGuides Her manager, Norman Granz, was adamant about protecting his colleagues from discrimination, but it did not stop it from happening. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. Mark, Geoffrey. Ellas half-sister, Frances, was born in 1923 and soon she began referring to Joe as her stepfather. Ella Fitzgerald Harvey Mudd College's Bridges Auditorium 1950's October 16-22, 1936 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY (performing with Chick Webb & His Band, supported by Chink Collins, Madeline Belt, Jackie Mabley, Sandy Burns, Dusty Fletcher, Geo. By this time she was performing with Chicks band at the prestigious Harlems Savoy Ballroom, often referred to as The Worlds Most Famous Ballroom.. She left Decca, and Granz, now her manager, created Verve Records around her. . It featured artists such as Michael Bubl, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, k.d. She was still going strong well into the 1970s, playing concerts across the globe. Ella Fitzgerald. National Womens History Museum. She made her last recording in 1989 and her last public performance in 1991 at New York's Carnegie Hall. Ella Fitzgerald is and always will be remembered for her contributions to jazz and popular song. Fitzgerald also put out her first No. She also received a Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime achievement (1979) and the National Medal of Arts (1987). Fitzgerald also loved dancing and singing, often catching shows at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Ella Fitzgerald joined big names such as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Roy Eldridge, "Flip" Phillips, and others when she headlined Jazz at the Philharmonic on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1952 in Bohler Gym. Despite her declining health, she continued performing, sometimes two shows a day in different cities. With her mother, Fitzgerald moved to Yonkers, New York. Sinatra's 1986 recording of "Mack the Knife" from his album L.A. Is My Lady (1984) includes a homage to some of the song's previous performers, including 'Lady Ella' herself. Forgive me if I don't have all the words. Webb had hired a lead male singer for the band but he was still searching for a female singer. [6], Starting in third grade, Fitzgerald loved dancing and admired Earl Snakehips Tucker. Fitzgerald also fell in love with Gillespie's bass player Ray Brown. [70], Bill Reed, author of Hot from Harlem: Twelve African American Entertainers, referred to Fitzgerald as the "Civil Rights Crusader", facing discrimination throughout her career. Ella also began appearing on television variety shows. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. She considered herself more of a tomboy, and often joined in the neighborhood games of baseball. Contact:. When her diabetes forced her to have both of her legs amputated, she traded the stage for sitting in her backyard with her son and granddaughter, Alice. In addition, her scat singing, using the . You may withdraw your consent at any time. She was awarded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Equal Justice Award and the American Black Achievement Award. Gleason, Holly. When the band was touring in Dallas, Texas, the police barged into Fitzgeralds dressing room and arrested her, Dizzy Gillespie, and Illinois Jacquetbecause of Granzs civil rights advocacy. [7] She and her family were Methodists and were active in the Bethany African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she attended worship services, Bible study, and Sunday school. In 1938, at the age of 21, Ella recorded a playful version of the nursery rhyme, A-Tisket, A-Tasket. The album sold 1 million copies, hit number one, and stayed on the pop charts for 17 weeks. In 1955, Granz created Verve Records for Fitzgerald to expand her repertoire from bebop to other genres of music. She had heart surgery in 1986 and had been suffering from diabetes. [67], Fitzgerald was a civil rights activist, using her talent to break racial barriers across the nation. (1947) was similarly popular and increased her reputation as one of the leading jazz vocalists.[31]. Though this aspect of her life was rarely publicized, she frequently made generous donations to organizations for disadvantaged youths, and the continuation of these contributions was part of the driving force that prevented her from slowing down. The Grand Opening performers (October 11 and 12, 2008) were Roberta Flack and Queen Esther Marrow. Media. She later described the period as strategically crucial, saying, "I had gotten to the point where I was only singing be-bop. In 1955, Granz created Verve Records for Fitzgerald to expand her repertoire from bebop to other genres of music. Her years with Pablo Records also documented the decline in her voice. While Fitzgerald appeared in films and as a guest on popular television shows in the second half of the twentieth century, her musical collaborations with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots were some of her most notable acts outside her solo career. In 1986, she received an honorary doctorate of music from Yale University. [83] Fitzgerald is also referred to in the 1976 Stevie Wonder hit "Sir Duke" from his album Songs in the Key of Life, and the song "I Love Being Here With You", written by Peggy Lee and Bill Schluger. It featured rare footage, radio broadcasts and interviews with Jamie Cullum, Andre Previn, Johnny Mathis, and other musicians, plus a long interview with Fitzgerald's son, Ray Brown Jr.[56], Jessica Bissett Perea. She toured all over the world, sometimes performing two shows a day in cities hundreds of miles apart. If you go What: "Ella's Jukebox Cafe: A Poughkeepsie Jazz Musical Revue" Where: The James & Betty Hall Theater, 53 Pendell Road, Poughkeepsie When: Dec. 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. Her rendition of the nursery rhyme "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" helped boost both her and Webb to national fame. He offered Fitzgerald the chance to test with the band during their performance at Yale University. Chicago- Angelucci, Ashley. Going out on her own, Fitzgerald landed a deal with Decca Records. Her grades dropped dramatically, and she frequently skipped school. The two were married and eventually adopted a son, whom they named Ray, Jr. At the time, Ray was working for producer and manager Norman Granz on the Jazz at the Philharmonic tour. Here was a black woman popularizing urban songs often written by immigrant Jews to a national audience of predominantly white Christians. Fitzgerald went to go live with her aunt in Harlem. [32] This was the first of Gordon's famous "Big Show" promotions and the "package" tour also included Buddy Rich, Artie Shaw and comedian Jerry Colonna. At the Opera House shows a typical Jazz at the Philharmonic set from Fitzgerald. "[43] Amid The New York Times pan of the film when it opened in August 1955, the reviewer wrote, "About five minutes (out of ninety-five) suggest the picture this might have been. Verve Records was sold to MGM in 1960 for $3 million and in 1967 MGM failed to renew Fitzgerald's contract. Paganini)". With more than four dozen albums in her discography, Ella proved to be one of the . 1 song, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" 1954 Best Female Vocalist, Metronome magazine Best Female Vocalist, Down Beat magazine (both readers' poll and critics' poll) 1956 All Star Female, Metronome magazine 1958 Fitzgerald also had celebrity supporters, such a Marilyn Monroe, who personally called venues to make sure they booked her for performances. In January 1935, Fitzgerald won the chance to perform with the Tiny Bradshaw Band at the Harlem Opera House where she met Chick Webb, the drummer and band leader. Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience, Ella said. Her many accolades included 13 Grammy Awards, the NAACP Image Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. When da Silva died of a heart attack a short time later, Frances moved in too. [15] Later that year, she was introduced to drummer and bandleader Chick Webb by Benny Carter[20] or Buck Ram[21] who had heard from singer Charlie Linton that Webb wanted to add a female singer. Fitzgerald died on June 15, 1996, at her home in Beverly Hills. Fitzgerald also faced racial discrimination while on tour. In 1956, Fitzgerald began recording for the newly created Verve. Fitzgerald also made her film debut as Ruby in 1942's comedy western Ride 'Em Cowboy with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. She was an unusual woman a little ahead of her times. After taking over the band when Webb died, Fitzgerald left it behind in 1942 to start her solo career. Ella Fitzgerald, Alison Krauss and Beyonc: 9 times women made GRAMMY history First female GRAMMY performance Sports aside, she enjoyed dancing and singing with her friends, and some evenings they would take the train into Harlem and watch various acts at the Apollo Theater. [75][76][77], The primary collections of Fitzgerald's media and memorabilia reside at and are shared between the Smithsonian Institution and the US Library of Congress. By Ashley Angelucci Ella Fitzgerald, known as "The First Lady of Song," was a revolutionary American jazz singer who performed all over the world. It was the 26th time she performed there. She used the memories from these times to help gather emotions for performances, and felt she was more grateful for her success because she knew what it was like to struggle in life. She was self-conscious about her appearance, and for a while even doubted the extent of her abilities. While recording the Song Books and the occasional studio album, Fitzgerald toured 40 to 45 weeks per year in the United States and internationally, under the tutelage of Norman Granz. She became an international legend during a career that spanned some six decades. When asked, Norman Granz would cite "complex contractual reasons" for the fact that the two artists never recorded together. Fitzgerald and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York to move in with da Silva. Although her voice impressed him, Chick had already hired male singer Charlie Linton for the band. Wiltshire, the Six Cotton Club Boys & the Twelve Careyettes) Perhaps her most unusual and intriguing performance was of the "Three Little Maids" song from Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta The Mikado alongside Joan Sutherland and Dinah Shore on Shore's weekly variety series in 1963. Accessed March 19, 2022. http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/about/biography, Ella Fitzgerald. National Endowment for the Arts. By Adriana Aumen, College of Arts . One in particular opened doors for her. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing . Unfortunately, busy work schedules also hurt Ray and Ellas marriage. While on tour with Dizzy Gillespies band in 1946, Ella fell in love with bassist Ray Brown. They were rich and poor, made up of all races, all religions and all nationalities. It isn't where you came from, its where you're going that counts. The advent of bebop led to new developments in Fitzgerald's vocal style, influenced by her work with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. Her first marriage was in 1941, to Benny Kornegay, a convicted drug dealer and local dockworker. As a result, they were stranded in Honolulu for three days before they could get another flight to Sydney. Click the link to confirm your email address.Please check your spam folder for the email, if it does not arrive, click this link Sign up to receive email updates and offers from. In 1993, however, her career was curtailed following complications stemming from diabetes, which resulted in the amputation of both her legs below the knees. She recorded several albums with piano accompaniment, but a guitar proved the perfect melodic foil for her. One especially memorable concert series from this time was a two-week engagement in New York City in 1974 with Sinatra and Basie. NPR. All Rights Reserved. Granz helped solidify her position as one of the leading live jazz performers. Over the next five years she flitted between Atlantic, Capitol and Reprise. Ella Fitzgerald. Bio. A wreath of white flowers stood next to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a marquee outside the Hollywood Bowl theater read, Ella, we will miss you.. Trumpet player Mario Bauz, who played behind Fitzgerald in her early years with Chick Webb, remembered that "she didn't hang out much. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book, released in 1956, was the first of eight Song Book sets Fitzgerald would record for Verve at irregular intervals from 1956 to 1964. The press carried rumors that she would never be able to sing again, but Ella proved them wrong. Ella Fitzgerald. When she got into the band, she was dedicated to her musicShe was a lonely girl around New York, just kept herself to herself, for the gig. Fitzgeralds clear tone and wide vocal range were complemented by her mastery of rhythm, harmony, intonation, and diction. [61] In March 1990, she appeared at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, with the Count Basie Orchestra for the launch of Jazz FM, plus a gala dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel at which she performed. In September of 1986, Ella underwent quintuple coronary bypass surgery. Her last performance was at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1991. By 1934, Fitzgerald was trying to make it on her own and living on the streets. After a tumultuous adolescence, Fitzgerald found stability in musical success with the Chick Webb Orchestra, performing across the country but most often associated with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. After Webb died in 1939, the band was renamed Ella and Her Famous Orchestra. Her accolades included 14 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, the NAACP's inaugural President's Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She made her first recording, Love and Kisses, in 1935, and her first hit, A-Tisket, A-Tasket, followed in 1938. She is also honored in the song "First Lady" by Canadian artist Nikki Yanofsky. It was there that Ella first met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb. In January 1935 she won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. Ella took the loss very hard. Britannica. Their apartment was in a mixed neighborhood, where Ella made friends easily. Of the seven, four reached the top of the pop charts, including ", Fitzgerald recorded three Verve studio albums with Louis Armstrong, two albums of standards (1956's, Fitzgerald is sometimes referred to as the quintessential swing singer, and her meetings with Count Basie are highly regarded by critics. The 1940s ushered in the bebop style of jazz; Fitzgerald adopted it and excelled. Her song selections ranged from standards to rarities and represented an attempt by Fitzgerald to cross over into a non-jazz audience. Fitzgerald was then sent to a special reform school but didn't stay there long. Dubbed The First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. It was directed by Leslie Woodhead and produced by Reggie Nadelson. Photo Credit:Ella Fitzgerald, November 1946. Today, her music remains well-known and loved, and her long and prolific . Once on stage, faced with boos and murmurs of Whats she going to do? from the rowdy crowd, a scared and disheveled Ella made the last minute decision to sing. [35], Fitzgerald was still performing at Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) concerts by 1955. She then soloed in cabarets and theatres and toured internationally with such pop and jazz stars as Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, the Mills Brothers, the Ink Spots, and Dizzy Gillespie. Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer from Newport News, Virginia. In all, Fitzgerald recorded more than 200 albums and some 2,000 songs in her lifetime. Accessed March 20, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ella-Fitzgerald. Her unique, velvety voice is one of the things that separated her from every other rising star of her time. After her heart surgery and a diabetes diagnosis in 1986, Fitzgerald exceeded expectations by continuing to perform. The Joy Of Ella Fitzgerald's Accessible Elegance. The disease left her blind, and she had both legs amputated in 1994. Her many subsequent recordings showcased the wide range and sweetness of her voice and made her one of the best-selling jazz vocal recording artists in history. [16][17] Performing in the style of Connee Boswell, she sang "Judy" and "The Object of My Affection" and won first prize. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. She recorded some hit songs with the Ink Spots and Louis Jordan in the early 1940s. Born on April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia, singer Fitzgerald was the product of a common-law marriage between William Fitzgerald and Temperance "Tempie" Williams Fitzgerald. After a private memorial service, traffic on the freeway was stopped to let her funeral procession pass through. In 1997, Newport News, Virginia created a week-long music festival with Christopher Newport University to honor Fitzgerald in her birth city. Ella Fitzgerald Memorial Scholars 2021 Recipients Fall Semester JIMMY HERNANDEZ LOS ANGELES, CA CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF LOS ANGELES MAJOR: BUSINESS MENTORS/ADVISORS: PATTY GASTELUM AND CASSANDRA AMEZQUITA WWW.CSUN.EDU CHRISTIAN ANDERSON KANSAS CITY, KS KANSAS CITY KANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE MAJOR: MUSIC MENTORS/ADVISORS: PROF. JUSTIN BINEK Despite her declining health, she continued performing, sometimes two shows a day in different cities. By the 1980s, Fitzgerald experienced serious health problems. After financial struggles for Fitzgerald and her band, she began working as lead singer for The Three Keys at Decca Records. Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor: Culinary Anthropologist, Dr. Wangari Maathai: The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Chronicles of American Women: Your History Makers, Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation. The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. ", Wilson, John S. "A Tribute to Fitzgerald With Heart and Soul.". [71] In 1954 on her way to one of her concerts in Australia she was unable to board the Pan American flight due to racial discrimination. Ella continued to work as hard as she had early on in her career, despite the ill effects on her health. Fitzgerald features on one track on Basie's 1957 album, Fitzgerald and Joe Pass recorded four albums together toward the end of Fitzgerald's career. Her signature style included her iconic vocal range, clear tone and ability to improvise with her hallmark scat singing. [68] In 1949, Norman Granz recruited Fitzgerald for the Jazz at the Philharmonic tour. [65] Her second marriage was in December 1947, to the famous bass player Ray Brown, whom she had met while on tour with Dizzy Gillespie's band a year earlier. She was awarded the NAACP Image Award in 1988 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992, among many other notable accomplishments. She asked the band to play Hoagy Carmichaels Judy, a song she knew well because Connee Boswells rendition of it was among Tempies favorites. Around this time, Fitzgerald went on tour with Dizzy Gillespie and his band. After staying with Joe for a short time, Tempies sister Virginia took Ella home. She was an excellent ballad singer, conveying a winsome, ingenuous quality, and her infectiousscat singing was widely imitated by others. The compositions of Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, and more soundtracked the . When Fitzgeralds mother died from serious injuries due to a car accident in 1932, Fitzgeralds life changed dramatically. [9] In 1961 Fitzgerald bought a house in the Klampenborg district of Copenhagen, Denmark, after she began a relationship with a Danish man. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? [24] Ella and the band recorded for Decca and appeared at the Roseland Ballroom, where they received national exposure on NBC radio broadcasts. [19], In January 1935, Fitzgerald won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. Her unique ability to mimic instrumental sounds helped popularize the vocal improvisation of scatting, which became her signature technique. The Joy Of Ella Fitzgerald's Accessible Elegance. 43 Following. [53] The tape was played back and the recording also broke another glass, asking: "Is it live, or is it Memorex? Her infectious scat singing brought excitement to such concert recordings as Mack the Knife: Ella in Berlin and was widely imitated by others. She told him and it was true, due to Marilyns superstar status that the press would go wild. She won first place in the competition, but the theater did not award her the full prize. [10] Her stepfather took care of her until April 1933 when she moved to Harlem to live with her aunt. Once in custody, the authorities sent fifteen-year-old Fitzgerald to reform school in Hudson, New York. Fitzgerald and Pass appeared together on the albums, Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington recorded two live albums and two studio albums. [12] She never talked publicly about this time in her life. [14] When the orphanage proved too crowded, she was moved to the New York Training School for Girls, a state reformatory school in Hudson, New York. While singing with Gillespie, Fitzgerald recalled: "I just tried to do [with my voice] what I heard the horns in the band doing. Suddenly, Ella Fitzgerald was famous. Fitzgerald was a great student. Due in no small part to her vocal quality, with lucid intonation and a broad range, the singer would go on to win 13 Grammys in total and sell more than 40 million albums. Despite protests by family and friends, including Norman, Ella returned to the stage and pushed on with an exhaustive schedule. This material, combined with the best jazz instrumental support, clearly demonstrated Fitzgeralds remarkable interpretative skills. 1541 Words. Although the tour was a big hit with audiences and set a new box office record for Australia, it was marred by an incident of racial discrimination that caused Fitzgerald to miss the first two concerts in Sydney, and Gordon had to arrange two later free concerts to compensate ticket holders. That same year, the tribute album We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song featured such artists as Gladys Knight, Etta James and Queen Latifah performing some of Fitzgerald's classics. The purity of her range and intonation, along with her peerless sense of pitch, made her a signature singer. Ella Fitzgerald MLA- Angelucci, Ashley. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Known for her beautiful ballads, her fiery bebop scat solos, and her ability to connect with anyone through song, Fitzgerald had a career lasting more than 6 decades and sang with dozens of her contemporaries, including . Her accolades included fourteen Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Accessed March 19, 2022. https://www.npr.org/2019/09/05/749021799/the-joy-of-ella-fitzgeralds-accessible-elegance. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Bonnie Greer dramatized the incident as the musical drama, Marilyn and Ella, in 2008. Under Normans management, Ella joined the Philharmonic tour, worked with Louis Armstrong on several albums and began producing her infamous songbook series. November 01, 2022 Home / News / CCNY awards junior Sara Molano its first Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship Jazz major Sara Molano is CCNY's first Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship recipient. Webb died of spinal tuberculosis on June 16, 1939,[23] and his band was renamed Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra, with Fitzgerald taking on the role of bandleader. A progressive social reformer and activist, Jane Addams was on the frontline of the settlement house movement and was the first American woman to wina Nobel Peace Prize. This Ella Fitzgerald discography is ranked from best to worst, so the top Ella Fitzgerald albums can be found at the top of the list. Unable to adjust to the new circumstances, Ella became increasingly unhappy and entered into a difficult period of her life. She had even gone as far as furnishing an apartment in Oslo, but the affair was quickly forgotten when Larsen was sentenced to five months' hard labor in Sweden for stealing money from a young woman to whom he had previously been engaged. He ensured Fitzgerald was to receive equal pay and accommodations regardless of her sex and race. She toured with such jazz stars asLouis Armstrongand Duke Ellington andbecame an internationallegendduring her six-decade career. Ella Fitzgerald. National Womens History Museum. [9] In 1985, Fitzgerald was hospitalized briefly for respiratory problems,[59] in 1986 for congestive heart failure,[60] and in 1990 for exhaustion. Accessed March 20, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ella-Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald became an international star. With the demise of the swing era and the decline of the great touring big bands, a major change in jazz music occurred. She was also frequently featured on The Ed Sullivan Show. Her extensive cookbook collection was donated to the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University, and her extensive collection of published sheet music was donated to UCLA. [79], In 1958 Fitzgerald became the first African-American woman to win at the inaugural show. Fitzgerald went on to win the contest's $25 first-place prize. "[9], In 1932, when Fitzgerald was 15 years old, her mother died from injuries sustained in a car accident. And to know that you loved me for my singing is too much for me. Taylor & Francis. [46] Even though she had already worked in the movies (she sang two songs in the 1942 Abbott and Costello film Ride 'Em Cowboy),[47] she was "delighted" when Norman Granz negotiated the role for her, and, "at the time considered her role in the Warner Brothers movie the biggest thing ever to have happened to her. Fitzgerald also made a one-off appearance alongside Sarah Vaughan and Pearl Bailey on a 1979 television special honoring Bailey. In 2008, the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center in Newport News named its new 276-seat theater the Ella Fitzgerald Theater. For Capitol she recorded Brighten the Corner, an album of hymns, Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, an album of traditional Christmas carols, Misty Blue, a country and western-influenced album, and 30 by Ella, a series of six medleys that fulfilled her obligations for the label.
Livability Index By City Usa, Towhee Golf Club Jobs, Articles E