She was also honored with the National Medal of Arts for her significant impact on American culture.
Ella Fitzgerald, known as the "First Lady of Song," was a celebrated American jazz singer born in 1917.
She received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967, recognizing her extraordinary contributions to music.
Biography
Early Life
Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia, to William Ashland Fitzgerald and Temperance Fitzgerald. Her parents were unmarried but lived together for a time before her mother moved to Yonkers, New York, with a new partner. Growing up in a challenging environment, Fitzgerald found solace in music, attending the Bethany African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she first experienced the joy of singing. Influenced by jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and the Boswell Sisters, she developed a passion for music early on.
Career
Fitzgerald's career took off when she won an amateur night contest at the Apollo Theater in 1934, initially intending to dance but opting to sing instead. She joined Chick Webb's orchestra, where she gained acclaim for her performances at the Savoy Ballroom. Her breakout hit, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," solidified her status as a leading jazz vocalist. Over the years, she recorded numerous albums, including the iconic "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book" and "Ella and Louis" with Louis Armstrong, showcasing her remarkable vocal range and improvisational skills.
Personal Life
Fitzgerald married twice, first to Benny Kornegay in 1941, which ended in annulment, and then to bassist Ray Brown in 1947, with whom she adopted a child. Despite her fame, she was known for her shyness and dedication to her craft, often keeping to herself. Later in life, she faced health challenges, including diabetes and blindness, yet continued to perform and inspire audiences worldwide.
Legacy
Ella Fitzgerald passed away on June 15, 1996, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. She won 13 Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and received numerous honors, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her contributions to music and culture continue to resonate, earning her the title "First Lady of Song."
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book1959
- 1.Sam and Delilah3:17
- 2.But Not for Me3:34
- 3.My One and Only2:38
- 4.Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off4:29
- 5.(I’ve Got) Beginner’s Luck3:12
- 6.Oh, Lady Be Good4:02
- 7.Nice Work If You Can Get It3:34
- 8.Things Are Looking Up3:06
- 9.Just Another Rhumba5:37
- 10.How Long Has This Been Going On?3:49
- 11.’S Wonderful3:31
- 12.The Man I Love3:53
- 13.That Certain Feeling3:05
- 14.By Strauss2:33
- 15.Someone to Watch Over Me4:34
- 16.The Real American Folk Song3:47
- 17.Who Cares?3:08
- 18.Looking for a Boy3:06
- 19.They All Laughed3:05
- 20.My Cousin in Milwaukee3:10
- 21.Somebody From Somewhere3:10
- 22.A Foggy Day3:34
- 23.Clap Yo’ Hands2:31
- 24.For You for Me for Evermore3:26
- 25.Stiff Upper Lip2:53
- 26.Boy Wanted3:36
- 27.Strike Up the Band2:38
- 28.Soon2:23
- 29.I’ve Got a Crush on You3:30
- 30.Bidin’ My Time2:43
- 31.Aren’t You Kind of Glad We Did?3:31
- 32.Of Thee I Sing3:11
- 33.The Half of It Dearie Blues3:49
- 34.I Was Doing All Right3:29
- 35.He Loves and She Loves2:50
- 36.Love Is Sweeping the Country3:26
- 37.Treat Me Rough2:59
- 38.Love Is Here to Stay3:56
- 39.Slap That Bass3:26
- 40.Isn’t It a Pity3:27
- 41.Shall We Dance?3:10
- 42.Love Walked In3:54
- 43.You’ve Got What Gets Me2:20
- 44.They Can’t Take That Away From Me3:11
- 45.Embraceable You4:53
- 46.I Can’t Be Bothered Now2:51
- 47.Boy What Love Has Done to Me3:49
- 48.Fascinating Rhythm3:26
- 49.Funny Face3:25
- 50.Lorelei3:23
- 51.Oh So Nice3:40
- 52.Let’s Kiss and Make Up3:52
- 53.I Got Rhythm3:11
- 54.Promenade (Walking the Dog)2:32
- 55.March of the Swiss Soldiers2:03
- 56.Fidgety Feet2:42
- 57.Prelude I1:36
- 58.Prelude II3:48
- 59.Prelude III1:09
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Song Book, Volume 11959
- 1.But Not for Me3:34
- 2.Fascinatin’ Rhythm3:24
- 3.They All Laughed3:04
- 4.The Man I Love3:53
- 5.Nice Work If You Can Get It3:32
- 6.Clap Yo’ Hands2:29
- 7.Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off4:28
- 8.Love Is Here to Stay3:54
- 9.I Was Doing All Right3:27
- 10.He Loves and She Loves2:48
- 11.Lorelei3:01
- 12.(I’ve Got) Beginner’s Luck3:08
Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers1959
- 1.Sweet and Lovely3:16
- 2.Let’s Fall in Love3:08
- 3.Makin’ Whoopee3:47
- 4.That Old Feeling4:20
- 5.I Remember You2:26
- 6.Moonlight Serenade3:04
- 7.Gone With the Wind3:04
- 8.Can’t We Be Friends?3:26
- 9.Out of This World4:38
- 10.My Old Flame3:07
- 11.East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)3:49
- 12.Lullaby of Broadway2:27
Ella Swings Lightly1959
- 1.Little White Lies
- 2.You Hit the Spot
- 3.What’s Your Story, Morning Glory?
- 4.Just You, Just Me
- 5.As Long as I Live
- 6.Teardrops From My Eyes
- 7.Gotta Be This or That
- 8.Moonlight on the Ganges
- 9.My Kinda Love
- 10.Blues in the Night
- 11.If I Were a Bell
- 12.You’re an Old Smoothie
- 13.Little Jazz
- 14.You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me
- 15.Knock Me a Kiss
- 16.720 in the Books
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Song Book, Vol. 21959
- 1.Someone to Watch Over Me
- 2.’S Wonderful
- 3.Embraceable You
- 4.They Can’t Take That Away From Me
- 5.For You, for Me, for Evermore
- 6.Soon
- 7.A Foggy Day
- 8.I’ve Got a Crush on You
- 9.Looking for a Boy
- 10.Oh, Lady Be Good!
- 11.Who Cares?
- 12.Love Walked In
Get Happy!1959
- 1.Somebody Loves Me2:36
- 2.Cheerful Little Earful2:06
- 3.You Make Me Feel So Young2:22
- 4.Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar2:30
- 5.Like Young3:01
- 6.Cool Breeze1:56
- 7.Moonlight Becomes You3:07
- 8.Blue Skies3:45
- 9.You Turned the Tables on Me2:31
- 10.Gypsy in My Soul2:40
- 11.Goody Goody2:29
- 12.St. Louis Blues3:54
The First Lady of Song1958
- 1.My One and Only Love
- 2.The Impatient Years
- 3.But Not Like Mine
- 4.I’ve Got the World on a String
- 5.An Empty Ballroom
- 6.You Turned the Tables on Me
- 7.Ella’s Contribution to the Blues
- 8.That’s My Desire
- 9.A Satisfied Mind
- 10.Careless
- 11.Give a Little – Get a Little
- 12.Blue Lou
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book1958
- 1.Let’s Face the Music and Dance2:58
- 2.You’re Laughing at Me3:17
- 3.Let Yourself Go2:19
- 4.You Can Have Him3:46
- 5.Russian Lullaby1:55
- 6.Puttin’ on the Ritz2:18
- 7.Get Thee Behind Me, Satan3:48
- 8.Alexander’s Ragtime Band2:43
- 9.Top Hat, White Tie and Tails2:36
- 10.How About Me?3:17
- 11.Cheek to Cheek3:48
- 12.I Used to Be Color Blind2:33
- 13.Lazy2:40
- 14.How Deep Is the Ocean3:11
- 15.All by Myself2:29
- 16.(You Forgot To) Remember3:27
Porgy & Bess1957
- 1.Overture10:52
- 2.Summertime4:58
- 3.I Wants to Stay Here4:38
- 4.My Man’s Gone Now4:02
- 5.I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin3:52
- 6.Buzzard Song2:58
- 7.Bess, You Is My Woman Now5:28
- 8.It Ain’t Necessarily So6:34
- 9.What You Want Wid Bess?1:59
- 10.Woman Is a Sometime Thing4:47
- 11.Oh, Doctor Jesus2:00
- 12.Medley: Here Come De Honey Man / Crab Man / Oh, Dey’s So Fresh and Fine3:29
- 13.There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York4:51
- 14.Oh Bess, Oh Where’s My Bess?2:36
- 15.Oh, Lawd, I’m on My Way!2:57
Ella and Her Fellas1957
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book1957
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Volume 21957
Tracklist not collected yet.
Like Someone in Love1957
- 1.There’s a Lull in My Life3:28
- 2.More Than You Know3:18
- 3.What Will I Tell My Heart3:33
- 4.I Never Had a Chance2:49
- 5.Close Your Eyes2:58
- 6.We’ll Be Together Again3:22
- 7.Then I’ll Be Tired of You3:15
- 8.Like Someone in Love3:12
- 9.Midnight Sun3:59
- 10.I Thought About You2:57
- 11.You’re Blase4:00
- 12.Night Wind3:21
- 13.What’s New3:08
- 14.Hurry Home4:42
- 15.How Long Has This Been Going On5:51
Ella and Louis Again, Volume Two1957
- 1.Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off
- 2.These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)
- 3.I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
- 4.Willow Weep for Me
- 5.I’m Puttin’ All My Eggs in One Basket
- 6.A Fine Romance
- 7.Ill Wind
- 8.Love Is Here to Stay
- 9.I Get a Kick Out of You
- 10.Learnin’ the Blues
Ella and Louis Again1957
- 1.Don’t Be That Way4:58
- 2.Makin’ Whoopee3:59
- 3.They All Laughed3:50
- 4.Comes Love2:32
- 5.Autumn in New York5:59
- 6.Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love)8:42
- 7.Stompin’ at the Savoy5:16
- 8.I Won’t Dance4:47
- 9.Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You4:14
- 10.Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off4:16
- 11.These Foolish Things7:40
- 12.I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm3:13
- 13.Willow Weep for Me4:21
- 14.I’m Puttin’ My Eggs in One Basket3:29
- 15.A Fine Romance3:56
- 16.Ill Wind3:45
- 17.Love Is Here to Stay4:01
- 18.I Get a Kick Out of You4:21
- 19.Learnin’ the Blues7:11
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book1956
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ella and Louis1956
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book1956
Tracklist not collected yet.
Lullabies of Birdland1955
Tracklist not collected yet.
Sweet and Hot1955
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ella-Songs in a Mellow Mood1954
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ella Sings Gershwin1950
Tracklist not collected yet.
Souvenir Album1949
Tracklist not collected yet.
The 20 Most Requested2000
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Classic Decade 1935-19451997
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Capitol Records
- Record label
- Decca
- Record label
- Verve Records
Achievements
- Award
- Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Award
- National Medal of Arts
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- National Women's Hall of Fame
- Award
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- Kennedy Center Honors
- Award
- honorary doctorate from Princeton University
- Award
- NEA Jazz Masters
- Award
- Los Angeles Times Women of the Year Silver Cup
- Award
- Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Award
- Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
Influenced by
Groups
- Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestracurrent
- Ella Fitzgerald and Her Savoy Eightcurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Ella Fitzgerard, Ella Fiztgerald, Ella Fiztgerarld, Ella Jane Fitzgerald, First Lady of Song, Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald was an American jazz vocalist, songwriter and composer, sometimes 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, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.
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Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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