Ella FitzgeraldElla Fitzgerald photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1940Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella, was one of the most important jazz singers, and the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards. Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she is noted for her purity of tone and "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. She was born in Newport News, Virginia, USA and raised in Yonkers, New York. She was left on her own as an orphan at age 14. Her singing debut was at age 16 in 1934 at the Harlem Apollo Theater, New York, in one of the earliest of its famous "Amateur Nights", which she won, adding fame to both the Apollo and herself. She was noticed by Bardu Ali of Chick Webb's band, who persuaded Webb to hire her. She started singing with Webb's Orchestra in 1935, in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. She recorded several hit songs with them, including "(If You Can't Sing It), You'll Have to Swing It", but it was her version of the nursery rhyme, "A Tisket A Tasket" that launched her to stardom. When Chick Webb died in 1939, the band continued touring under the new name, "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra." She began her solo career in 1941. Started as a swing singer, she encompassed bebop, scat, and performed blues, bossa nova, samba, gospel, calypso, and Christmas songs. Ella's later concerts were often enriched by some hilarious imitations of other singers: in particular, she was able to render quite perfectly Marilyn Monroe's voice and typical gestures, as well as Louis Armstrong's. Among her best known recordings was a series produced by Norman Granz of the songbooks of the great American popular composers, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin (with Nelson Riddle's orchestra), Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, and Duke Ellington. With Ellington's band, Lady Ella (as she was now called by other singers) toured Europe and North America, classically opening their shows with the famous Ellington's hit "Take the 'A' train", of which she was one of the few to sing - in her unique way - the little known lyrics. She performed concerts with the most important groups and soloists. Her role effectively was the "instrumentalist of voice". Among the many partners and/or band leaders, like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie ("On the Sunny Side of the Street"), Joe Pass ("Speak love"), Dizzy Gillespie, the Tommy Flanagan Trio, she also sang together with the "other voice" of jazz, Billie Holiday (1957). Porgy and Bess is the most notable of her many recordings with jazz legend Louis Armstrong, but the couple also recorded the very popular "Ella and Louis" which was so successful that Granz's Verve records asked them for the equally successful "Ella and Louis again". Ella Fitzgerald also appeared alongside Peggy Lee as an actress and singer in Jack Webb's jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues. She also appeared in the films Ride 'Em Cowboy, St. Louis Blues, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. She married twice. In 1941 she married Benny Kornegay, but the marriage was later annulled. Her second husband was the famous bass player Ray Brown. Together they adopted a child, Ray Brown, Jr. Already blinded because suffering from diabetes, she lost her legs in 1993, and in 1996 she died in Beverly Hills, California, after having made some sad last TV appearances. She is interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. Albumsnote: Fitzgerald began releasing albums on the Decca Records label after years of releasing singles.
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Her second husband was the famous bass player Ray Brown. Together they adopted a child, Ray Brown, Jr. After his whereabouts were published in British newspapers, he relocated to Cambodia but was later expelled by the Cambodian authorities after a public outcry at his presence. In 1941 she married Benny Kornegay, but the marriage was later annulled. After his release from prison, Glitter moved to Cuba in 2000. She married twice. (This prompted his scene in the Spice Girls movie called Spice World: The Movie to be cut from the final release.). Louis Blues, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. The staff there found pornographic images of children on the hard drive and called the police. Glitter was arrested and, on November 12, 1999, was convicted on child pornography charges; he was sentenced to four months in prison. She also appeared in the films Ride 'Em Cowboy, St. His new career fell apart on November 18, 1997, after he took his computer to UK computer store PC World to be mended. Ella Fitzgerald also appeared alongside Peggy Lee as an actress and singer in Jack Webb's jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues. Active in several projects during the '80s and early 1990s, Glitter released a cover of the Animals' "The House of the Rising Sun", which was a major hit. Porgy and Bess is the most notable of her many recordings with jazz legend Louis Armstrong, but the couple also recorded the very popular "Ella and Louis" which was so successful that Granz's Verve records asked them for the equally successful "Ella and Louis again". After "All That Glitters" (1981), a medley of past hits, launched a successful career as a performer, though his studio recordings were rare. Among the many partners and/or band leaders, like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie ("On the Sunny Side of the Street"), Joe Pass ("Speak love"), Dizzy Gillespie, the Tommy Flanagan Trio, she also sang together with the "other voice" of jazz, Billie Holiday (1957). In the 1980s, Glitter took a major part in The Rocky Horror Show in New Zealand and released a few minor hits in 1977. She performed concerts with the most important groups and soloists. Her role effectively was the "instrumentalist of voice". He retired briefly in 1976, but by the end of 1977 he was back in the charts with "It takes all night long", from his album of that year "Silver Star". With Ellington's band, Lady Ella (as she was now called by other singers) toured Europe and North America, classically opening their shows with the famous Ellington's hit "Take the 'A' train", of which she was one of the few to sing - in her unique way - the little known lyrics. His "Greatest Hits" album followed. Among her best known recordings was a series produced by Norman Granz of the songbooks of the great American popular composers, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin (with Nelson Riddle's orchestra), Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, and Duke Ellington. "Always Yours", "Oh Yes! You're Beautiful", "Doing Alright With the Boys" and "Love Like You and Me" were all successes, but "Papa Ooh Mow Mow", his next single, was only a moderate hit. Ella's later concerts were often enriched by some hilarious imitations of other singers: in particular, she was able to render quite perfectly Marilyn Monroe's voice and typical gestures, as well as Louis Armstrong's. Glitter's back up band, the Glitter Band, even became hit-makers by association. Started as a swing singer, she encompassed bebop, scat, and performed blues, bossa nova, samba, gospel, calypso, and Christmas songs. "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)", "I Love You Love Me Love" and "Remember Me This Way" were all huge hits. She began her solo career in 1941. With his shows and persona becoming more and more outrageous, Glitter's fame showed no sign of stopping. When Chick Webb died in 1939, the band continued touring under the new name, "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra.". This was followed by a series of similar singles, all successful, as were the first two albums, Glitter and Touch Me. She recorded several hit songs with them, including "(If You Can't Sing It), You'll Have to Swing It", but it was her version of the nursery rhyme, "A Tisket A Tasket" that launched her to stardom. "Rock and Roll" eventually became a huge hit in 1972 in the United Kingdom, though it took six months to enter the charts. She was noticed by Bardu Ali of Chick Webb's band, who persuaded Webb to hire her. She started singing with Webb's Orchestra in 1935, in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. Before the song was released, Gary Glitter chose his modern name. Her singing debut was at age 16 in 1934 at the Harlem Apollo Theater, New York, in one of the earliest of its famous "Amateur Nights", which she won, adding fame to both the Apollo and herself. Finally, Leander and Glitter decided that glam rock was the way to go, and began recording "Rock and Roll", a fifteen minute song that eventually became two parts ("Rock and Roll (Part 1)" and "Rock and Roll (Part 2)"). She was left on her own as an orphan at age 14. This was followed by "We're All Living in One Place" as Rubber Bucket. She was born in Newport News, Virginia, USA and raised in Yonkers, New York. Using the name Paul Monday, the singer released "Musical Man" and "Here Comes the Sun" (George Harrison), then "Soul Thing" and "Stand!" (Sly & The Family Stone) were released as Paul Raven. Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she is noted for her purity of tone and "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. Boston International toured widely. Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella, was one of the most important jazz singers, and the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards. After the collapse of the Mike Leander Show Band, Raven formed Boston International (later known as the Bostons) with John Rossall, a professional saxophonist. "Play an Ella ballad with a cat in the room, and the animal will invariably go up to the speaker, lie down and purr." - Geoffrey Fidelman (author of the Ella Fitzgerald biography, First Lady of Song). In 1965, Raven joined in the Mike Leander Show Band, also producing singles by Thane Russell and the Poets. she'll sound as modern 200 years from now." - Tony Bennett. He signed with Parlophone Records in 1961, and Raven released two unsuccessful singles, appearing on Ready Steady Go, a television show, and working in several commercials. "Her recordings will live forever.. His first single as "Alone in the Night" (1960), released under the name Paul Raven. "She made the mark for all female singers, especially black female singers, in our industry." - Dionne Warwick. Born Paul Francis Gadd in 1940, it was as a teenager, Glitter performed at various bars and pubs in London, eventually landing a deal with Decca Records. Toscanini, who said concerning singers, 'Either you're a good musician or you're not.' In terms of musicianship, Ella Fitzgerald was beyond category." - Duke Ellington. In 1999, he was convicted of child pornography offences. "Her artistry brings to mind the words of the maestro, Mr. Gary Glitter (born May 8, 1940) was a British rock and roll performer in the early 1970s, most notable for his hit song "Rock and Roll", parts of which have become an almost ubiquitous anthem at many American professional sports events. There's nobody to take her place." - David Brinkley. 1984 "Another Rock and Roll Christmas" #7 UK. "She had a vocal range so wide you needed an elevator to go from the top to the bottom. 1984 "Dance Me Up" #25 UK. "I didn't realise our songs were so good until Ella sang them." - Ira Gershwin. 1981 "And Then She Kissed Me" #39 UK. "I call her the High Priestess of Song." - Mel Torme. 1977 "A Little Boogie Woogie in the Back of Mind" #31 UK. Download sample of "April in Paris" by Fitzgerald with Louis Armstrong. 1977 "It Takes All Night Long" #25 UK. Download sample of "How High the Moon". 1976 "You Belong To Me" #40 UK. 1989 All That Jazz. 1975 "Papa Oom Mow Mow" #38 UK. 1986 Easy Living. 1975 "Doing Alright with the Boys" #6 UK. 1983 Nice Work If You Can Get It. 1975 "Love Like You and Me" #10 UK. 1983 Speak Love. 1974 "Oh Yes! You're Beautiful" #2 UK. 1982 The Best Is Yet to Come. 1974 "Always Yours" #1 UK. 1981 Ella Abraca Jobim. 1974 "Remember Me This Way" #3 UK. 1979 A Perfect Match. 1973 "I Love You Love Me Love" #1 UK. 1979 A Classy Pair. 1973 "I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)" #1 UK. 1979 Digital III at Montreux. 1973 "Hello Hello I'm Back Again" #3 UK. 1978 Dream Dancing. 1973 "Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah)" #3 UK. 1978 Lady Time. 1972 "I Didn't Know I Loved You (Til I Saw You Rock 'N' Roll)" #4 UK; #35 US. 1977 Montreux '77. 1972 "Rock and Roll (Parts 1 and 2)" #2 UK; #7 US. Again. 1976 Fitzgerald and Pass.. 1975 Montreux '75. 1975 Ella and Oscar (1975). 1974 Ella in London. 1974 Ella Fitzgerald Jams. 1973 Take Love Easy. 1973 Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall. 1972 Ella Loves Cole. 1971 Ella A Nice. 1970 Ella in Budapest, Hungary. 1970 Things Ain't What They Used to Be. 1969 Ella. 1969 Watch What Happens. 1968 30 by Ella. 1967 Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas. 1967 Brighten the Corner. 1966 [[Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur]. 1966 Whisper Not. 1965 Ella in Hamburg. 1965 Ella at Duke's Place. 1964 Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook. 1964 Hello, Dolly!. 1963 These Are the Blues. 1963 Ella and Basie!. 1963 Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook. 1963 Ella Sings Broadway. 1962 Ella Swings Gently with Nelson. 1962 Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson. 1962 Rhythm Is My Business. 1961 Ella Returns to Berlin. 1961 Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!. 1961 Ella in Hollywood. 1960 Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook. 1960 Sings Songs from Let No Man Write My Epitaph. 1960 Hello, Love. 1960 Wishes You a Merry Christmas. 1960 Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife. 1959 Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook. 1959 Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers. 1959 Get Happy!. 1958 Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert. 1958 Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook. 1958 Ella Swings Lightly. 1958 Ella and Billie at Newport. 1957 Porgy and Bess. 1957 Like Someone in Love. 1957 Ella at the Opera House. 1957 Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook. 1957 Ella and Louis Again. 1956 Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook. 1956 Ella and Louis. 1956 Sings the Cole Porter Songbook. 1955 Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues. 1954 Songs in a Mellow Mood. 1950 Ella Sings Gershwin. |