When and where was Ella Fitzgerald born?
Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on the 25th of April 1917, in Newport News, Virginia. Her father, William Ashland Fitzgerald, was a transfer wagon driver from Blackstone, Virginia.
Questions about Ella Fitzgerald
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Ella Fitzgerald get her start in music?
Fitzgerald debuted at age 17 on the 21st of November 1934, at one of the earliest Amateur Nights at the Apollo Theater. She had planned to dance but switched to singing after being intimidated by a local dance duo, performing in the style of Connee Boswell and winning first prize.
What was the Ella Fitzgerald Song Book series?
The Song Book series was a collection of eight albums Fitzgerald recorded for Verve Records between 1956 and 1964, each devoted to a major composer or lyricist from the Great American Songbook. The New York Times described them in 1996 as among the first pop records to devote serious attention to individual songwriters.
How many Grammy Awards did Ella Fitzgerald win?
Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy Awards over the course of her career and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967. In 1959, she became the first African-American woman to win at the inaugural Grammy ceremony.
What racial discrimination did Ella Fitzgerald face during her career?
In 1954, Fitzgerald and her manager Norman Granz, pianist John Lewis, and assistant Georgiana Henry were removed from a Pan-American Airlines flight from Honolulu to Australia after they had already boarded. They were stranded in Honolulu for three days. Fitzgerald, Granz, Lewis, and Henry filed a civil suit for racial discrimination and won on appeal in January 1956.
When did Ella Fitzgerald die and what was the cause?
Fitzgerald died at her home from a stroke on the 15th of June 1996, at age 79. Her health had declined for years due to diabetes, which led to the amputation of both legs below the knee in 1993 and also damaged her eyesight. She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.