Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgeraldwas an American jazz singer often referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz and Lady Ella. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionJazz Singer
Date of Birth25 April 1917
CityNewport News, VA
CountryUnited States of America
singers female jazz
She has been more famous, over a longer time span, than any other female singer.
graduation giving-up passion
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do.
fall exercise thinking
A lot of singers think all they have to do is exercise their tonsils to get ahead. They refuse to look for new ideas and new outlets, so they fall by the wayside... I'm going to try to find out the new ideas before the others do.
home stage feels
When I'm on stage I feel at home
cousin thinking self
I used to be very self-conscious. I used to wish I was pretty. My cousin Georgia always taught me that if you smile, people will like you. Sometimes people will say something you don't like, and you get angry a bit, but you just smile. You let it go by, even if you really would like to choke 'em. By smiling, I think I've made more friends than if I was the other way.
music block holiday
When we were at the Apollo, Holiday was a block away. I asked her for her autograph.
cheer blue sky
Every time I look down on this timeless town, whether blue or gray be her skies, whether loud be her cheers, or whether soft be her tears, more and more do I realize that...I love Paris.
song sound doe
Whatever she does to my songs, she always makes them sound better.
block holiday house
Once, when we were playing at the Apollo Theater, Holiday was working a block away at the Harlem Opera House. Some of us went over between shows to catch her, and afterwards we went backstage. I did something then, and I still don't know if it was the right thing to do—I asked her for her autograph.
song class creative
She is amazingly creative, bringing so much more to a song than just a singer. She is a first-class musician and the most gracious person in the world.
mean years today
Coming through the years, and finding that I not only have just the fans of my day, but the young ones of today - that's what it means, it means it was worth all of it.
music people stories
The fabulous places I've been, wonderful things that've happened, great people I've met ought to make a story.
song moon years
[On bebop years] All I did was sing 'How High the Moon.' It seemed like the only song I ever sang.
voice looks jazz
Listen to her voice, don't look at her.