Billie_Holliday

Billie Holliday Billie Holliday was born in Baltimore in 1915. Her father left the home before she was born. When she was ten years old she was raped and sent to a foster home where she lived for three years. At the age of 13 she moved back home and started working at a brothel. It was while working at the brothel she first heard recordings of Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong. These were to be her biggest influences. It was right around this time she began singing at after hour’s clubs. One night she auditioned as a dancer. While she couldn’t dance, the club owner asked her what else she could do instead. She told him that she also sang a little. She performed a couple of songs and was hired on the spot. In 1933 she was discovered by John Hammond, who introduced her to Benny Goodman and recorded their collaborations. In these songs, the instrumental work was the main focus of the music, which was typical of the time. By the late 30’s however, Holliday’s voice became the dominant focus. Throughout the 40’s and 50’s billie, holliday, songs, ella, home, young, years, took, time, song, singing, however, health, died, born, working, while, webb, voice, twice, training, they’re, sang, sad, recordings, perform, make, lester, last, instead, holliday’s, focus, fitzgerald, first, ever, discovered