Black History Month Project Ms.
Payumo World Geography By: Luke Fernandez March 27, 2012
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Biography
Ella Fitzgerald is one of many famous African-American jazz singers. Her
life struggles, hardships, and happiness all contribute to the many songs she as written throughout her years of entertainment. Her music as touched the hearts and minds of millions of fans all over the world. She has met with all the great artist of jazz from The Duke, The Count, and more. Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, in April, 1917. Ella's parents William and Temperance had parted shortly after her birth. Later on Ella and her mother had moved toYonkers, New York, where the moved in with Temperance's boyfriend Joe Da Silva. Soon after Ella's mother had become pregnant with Ella's half-sister, Frances. While Ella was staying in Yonkers she would get part time jobs to contribute to the family. During her late teens Ella was faced with a struggle her mother had passed away do to bad injuries during a car accident. This also was the time of the great depression, which made it even hard for Ella to find happiness. During her time of adolescence Ella acted out she skipped school, her grades dropped, and caused trouble. In that time she was sent to reformatory school where she had been beaten up but escaped the harsh treatment later on in her life. Although Ella had faced harsh treatment from others around her, she also thanked them for making her the way she is. She had used those memories and experiences to bring emotion and life to her performances. Ella says, "I sing like I feel" and "The only thing better than singing is more singing." It shows how passionate she was about singing and how all your struggles, hardships, and tribulations can payoff someday. Ella has preformed around the world and has sold over 40 billion albums. She is also known as, " The first Lady of Jazz." In 1974 she had received an award from President Ronald Regan for contributing to the arts. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later some time. During Ella's career she had been on tour and had been on many talk shows such as, " The Andy William Show," "The Night Show," and many more famous television shows. At the end of her music career Ella had went through a surgery for her heart and doctors had pronounced Ella as a diabetic. However press rumors arose saying Ella would never sing again. But she proved them wrong in the 90s Ella performed her final performance before her death at the Carnige Hall where she had preformed for the 26th time. Before her death Ella's diabetes affected both her legs and soon they were both amputated. Although she didn't fully recover from her surgery Ella enjoyed the time with her son Ray Jr., and her grand daughter Alice. "I just want to smell the air, listen to the birds and hear Alice laugh," she
said. Ella Fitzgerald had died in June, 1996. When she died the whole world had grief and morn for Ella. She was one of the many jazz singers who had enriched the world in a new era of culture and arts for music. For that the Hollywood Bowl had put up, " Ella, we will miss you" on there sign. She still continues today as the world famous jazz singers of her time and still stands the test of time.
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Accomplishments :
1934Won Amateur Night competition at the Apollo Theater 1937Top Female Vocalist, Down Beat magazine 1938First No. 1 song, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" 1956All Star Female, Metronome magazine 1958First Grammy award 1959Grammy awards, Best Female Vocal Performance 1962Grammy award, Best Female Solo Vocal Performance 1967Grammy award, Bing Crosby Lifetime Achievement awardHonorary chairmanship of the newly formed Martin Luther King Foundation 1979Grammy award, Best Jazz Vocal Performance 1981Grammy award, Best Female Jazz Vocal
1983Peabody Award for Outstanding Contributions to Music in America Grammy award, Best Female Jazz Vocal Performance for "The Best Is Yet to Come" (album) 1990Grammy award, Best Female Jazz Vocal Performance for All That Jazz (album)Commander of Arts and Letters (France)Honorary Doctor of Music from Princeton University 1992Miss Fitzgerald was awarded America's highest non-military honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. United States honors this "First Lady of Song" 2007U.S. Postal Service unveils the 2007 Ella Fitzgerald Commemorative Stamp (According to Ellafitzgerald.com http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/about/awards.html )
