b. Ella Jane Fitzgerald, 25th April 1917, Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A.
d. 15th June 1996, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A.
Ella Fitzgerald is, probably, the most popular female jazz vocalist of the last 100 years.
She has been rightly described as the ‘First Lady of Song’, in a career, which spanned over 6 decades.
Ella sold over 40 million albums in her career, which is a huge achievement, when it should be remembered that, at one stage in her life, she was penniless and lived on the streets.
ella's mother 'tempie'
Born in Newport News, Virginia, Ella’s parents were William Fitzgerald and Temperance Fitzgerald.
They were not married, and went their separate ways, shortly after Ella was born.
Reamining with her mother, Ella relocated to Yonkers, in Westchester County, New York, during the first Great Migration of African Americans.
In 1925, Ella’s family relocated to a poor Italian neighbourhood.
She attended the Benjamin Franklin Junior High School from 1929.
In 1932, her mother died from a heart attack.
She became abused by her stepfather, which resulted in her running away from home.
She took on any sort of work, whilst living with an aunt in Harlem.
Some of the work was for the wrong sort of people, and Ella was sent to the Orphan Asylum in Riverdale, Bronx.
Ella was moved on to the New York Training School for Girls in Hudson, New York.
She ran away from there, and it was at this point, she became homeless, living and sleeping on the streets.
After hanging around the stage doors and singing to whoever would listen on street corners, at 17 years old (in 1934), Ella finally sang at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.
She sang at the Theater’s ‘Amateur Nights’, and the following year, she took up the opportunity to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House.
She met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb there.
chick webb
From childhood, Chick had suffered from tuberculosis of the spine, which left him with a badly deformed spine.
billing with chick webb at the savoy in 1935
Ella began singing regularly with Webb's Orchestra during 1935, with Chick becoming something of a father figure to her.
At this time she began recording music.
Some of these included ‘Love and Kisses’ and ‘(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)’.
Ella’s break through song came in 1938, a song constructed around a nursery rhyme.
Ella Fitzgerald, in her first screen role, singing 'A Tisket a Tasket' from Abbott and Costello's 'Ride Em Cowboy' in 1942
‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’, a song she co-wrote, brought her into the mainstream.
Chick Webb died in 1939, and Ella became a bandleader for a while.
She took on this role up until 1942.
That year, Ella began her successful solo career.
with dizzy gillespie in 1950
Signing to Decca, she began collaborating with other artists, including Bill Kenny & The Ink Spots, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Jordan.
Milt Gabler became her manager, after which Norman Granz took over the role.
During this part of her career Ella began to develop her sound, utilising scat as her vocal signature.
In 1945, Ella used scat for her recording of ‘Flying Home’ (arranged by Vic Schoen).
souvenir album - 1949 / ella sings gershwin - 1950 / lullabies of birdland - 1955 / ella sings the rodgers and hart songbook - 1956
By 1955, Ella had left Decca and Norman Granz, set up the Verve Records imprint.
‘Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook’, was released in 1956.
This format of album releases was the first of eight Songbook albums.
These releases set the template for the future series of the Great American Songbook format.
One of these albums ‘Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book’ was the only release on which the composer she interpreted played along with her.
like someone in love - 1957 / ella fitzgerald sings the irving berlin songbook - 1958 / get happy - 1959 / ella fitzgerald sings the irving berlin songbook vol.1 - 1960
Other releases were dedicated to the likes of Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin in 1972 and 1983.
In 1955, Ella commenced an engagement at the Mocambo nightclub in Hollywood, at the request of Marilyn Monroe.
Verve Records was eventually sold to MGM in 1963, and by 1967 MGM refused to renew Ella’s contract.
ella fitzgerald sings the harold arlen songbook - 1961 / rhythm is my business - 1962 / ella fitzgerald sings the jerome kern songbook - 1963 / ella fitzgerald sings the johnny mercer songbook - 1964
The following years saw Ella at the Atlantic, Capitol and Reprise imprints.
ella fitzgerald - 1965 / whisper not - 1966 / brighten the corner - 1967 / sunshine of your love - 1968
At these labels, Ella found she could branch out, musically, which led to Christmas releases, albums of hymns and a U.S. chart single, a cover of Smokey Robinson's ‘Get Ready’.
By 1972, Norman Granz had founded Pablo Records, his first record label since Verve Records.
things ain't what they used to be - 1970 / ella fitzgerald sings duke ellington - 1973 / the best is yet to come - 1982 / ella a nice - 1983
Ella recorded 20 albums for the imprint.
Apart from her musical career, Ella worked in other area’s of the media.
There were appearances in films, television, and even work in advertising.
In 1985, Ella was hospitalized with respiratory problems.
A year later, she was back in hospital, this time suffering from congestive heart failure.
By 1990, she was hospitalised again, this time from exhaustion.
In 1993, she had begun to suffer from diabetes, leading to her having both of her legs amputated below the knee.
Exhausted, in 1996, and becoming tired of being in the hospital, she requested she spent her last days at home.
Ella spent her final days with her son Ray and 12 year old granddaughter Alice.
She passed away at home on the 15th of June 1996 at the age of 79.
Ella was laid to rest at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
During her career, Ella won thirteen Grammy Awards, including one for Lifetime Achievement in 1967.
Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the U.S. for more than half a century.
Albums:
Ella Fitzgerald [ASV/Living Era] (ASV/Living Era Records 1935)
Ella and Her Fellas (Decca Records 1938)
75th Birthday Celebration (GRP Records 1938)
The Chick Webb Orchestra Directed by Ella...(Jazz Anthology Records 1939)
New York 1940 (Jazz Anthology Records 1940)
Ella Fitzgerald and Her Orchestra (Sunbeam Records 1940)
Sing Song Swing (Laserlight Records 1940)
Live from the Roseland Ballroom New York 1940 (Jazz Anthology Records 1940)
For Sentimental Reasons (Decca Records 1944)
Lullabies of Birdland (Decca Records 1945)
Ella & Ray (Jazz Live Records 1948)
Ella Fitzgerald Set (Verve Records 1949)
Miss Ella Fitzgerald and Mr. Nelson Riddle... (Decca Records 1949)
Gershwin Songs (Decca Records 1950)
Souvenir Album (Decca Records 1950)
Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Blues (Pablo Records 1953)
Sweet and Hot (Decca Records 1953)
Songs in a Mellow Mood (Decca Records 1954)
Songs from 'Pete Kelly's Blues' (Decca Records 1955)
One O' Clock Jump (Verve Records 1956)
Sings Cole Porter (Verve Records 1956)
Sings More Cole Porter (Verve Records 1956)
A Tribute to Cole Porter (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Cole Porter Song Book, Vol. 1 (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Cole Porter Song Book, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1956)
Ella and Louis Together [Laserlight] (Laserlight Records 1956)
Ella and Louis (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book, Vols. 1-2 (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book, Vol. 1 (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1956)
Ella Fitzgerald Live (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1956)
Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Vol. 1 (Verve Records 1956)
Ella Fitzgerald and Jazz at the... (Tax Records 1957)
Ella and Billie at Newport (Verve Records 1957)
Ella and Louis Again (Verve Records 1957)
Ella and Louis Again, (Verve Records 1957)
Ella and Louis Again, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1957)
Hello, Love (Verve Records 1957)
Get Happy (Verve Records 1957)
At the Opera House (Verve Records 1957)
Ella Fitzgerald at the Opera House (Verve Records 1957)
Lady Be Good! (Verve Records 1957)
Like Someone in Love (Verve Records 1957)
Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1958)
Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Vol. 1 (Verve Records 1958)
Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert [live] (Verve Records 1958)
Ella Swings Lightly (Verve Records 1958)
Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers (Verve Records 1958)
Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book,... (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book,... (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book,... (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book,... (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book,... (Verve Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book,... (Verve Records 1959)
Ella Sings Gershwin [MCA] (MCA Records 1959)
Sings the George & Ira Gershwin Song Book (Verve Records 1959)
Ella in Berlin [live] (Verve Records 1960)
Ella Sings Songs from "Let No Man Write My... (Verve Records 1960)
The Intimate Ella (Verve Records 1960)
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas (Verve Records 1960)
Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book [Original... (Verve Records 1960)
Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book, Vol. 2 (Verve Records 1960)
Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book, Vol. 1 (Verve Records 1960)
Ella Returns to Berlin (Verve Records 1961)
Ella in Hollywood (Verve Records 1961)
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! (Verve Records 1961)
Ella Swings Gently with Nelson (Verve Records 1961)
Rhythm Is My Business (Verve Records 1962)
Ella Sings Broadway (Verve Records 1962)
Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book (Verve Records 1963)
Ella and Basie! (Verve Records 1963)
Ella and Basie (Verve Records 1963)
These Are the Blues (Verve Records 1963)
Hello Dolly (Verve Records 1964)
Ella at Juan Les Pins (Verve Records 1964)
Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book (Verve Records 1964)
Stairway to the Stars (Decca Records 1965)
Ella in Hamburg (Verve Records 1965)
Ella Fitzgerald [MCA] (Metro Records 1965)
Ella at Duke's Place (Verve Records 1965)
The Stockholm Concert, 1966 [live] (Pablo Records 1966)
Whisper Not (Verve Records 1966)
Ella & Duke at the Cote D'azur (Verve Records 1966)
The World of Ella Fitzgerald (Metro Records 1966)
Misty Blue (Capitol Records 1967)
Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas (Capitol Records 1967)
Brighten the Corner (Capitol Records 1967)
Thirty by Ella (Capitol Records 1968)
Sunshine of Your Love (Prestige Records 1969)
Ella (Reprise Records 1969)
Ella Fitzgerald with the Tommy Flanagan Trio (Delta Records 1969)
Ella a Nice Original (Jazz Records 1971)
Loves Cole (Atlantic Records 1972)
Dream Dancing (Pablo Records 1972)
Carnegie Hall 1973, Vol. 1 [live] (Jazzotheque Records 1973)
Carnegie Hall 1973, Vol. 2 Jazzotheque Records 1973)
Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall (Columbia Records 1973)
Take Love Easy (Pablo Records 1973)
Ella Fitzgerald Jams (Pablo Records 1974)
Fine and Mellow (Pablo Records 1974)
Ella in London (Pablo/OJC Records 1974)
Ella and Oscar (Pablo Records 1974)
Montreux '75 [live] (Pablo Records 1975)
Ella Fitzgerald at the Montreux Jazz... [live] (Pablo Records 1975)
At the Montreaux Festival (Original Jazz Records 1975)
Fitzgerald and Pass...Again (Pablo Records 1976)
Ella Fitzgerald [Pablo] (Pablo Records 1976)
Montreux '77 (Original Jazz Records 1977)
Lady Time (Pablo / OJC Records 1978)
A Classy Pair (Pablo Records 1979)
Live: Digital 3 at Montreux (Pablo Records 1979)
Perfect Match (Pablo Records 1979)
Ella Abraca Jobim (Pablo Records 1980)
The Best Is Yet to Come (Pablo Records 1982)
Speak Love (Pablo Records 1982)
Nice Work If You Can Get It (Pablo Records 1983)
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (Pablo Records 1983)
Billie Holiday & Ella Fitzgerald (MCA Records 1986)
Easy Living (Pablo Records 1986)
Wishes You a Swinging Christmas (Polydor Records 1988)
All That Jazz (Pablo Records 1989)
Starlit Hour (Rounder Records 1989)
Ella: Things Ain't What They Used to Be (Reprise Records 1991)
Memories (MCA Records 1991)
Ella Sings, Chick Swings (Olympic Records 1991)
Ella with Her Savoy Eight (ASV/Living Era Records 1992)
Ella Fitzgerald ([Laserlight] Laserlight Records 1992)
Lady Is a Tramp (ITM Records 1994)
Sings the Cole Porter Song Book, Vol. 1 (Polygram Records 1994)
Roseland Dance City (Canby Records 1995)
Christmas with Ella Fitzgerald (Cema Special Records 1995)
My Heart Belongs to Daddy (Musketeer Records 1995)
Hallelujah (Smash Records 1995)
It's a Blue World (Drive Records 1995)
Hallelujah! (Hot Club de Records 1995)
My Happiness (Parrot Records 1995)
You'll Have to Swing It (Eclipse Music Records 1996)
A-Tisket A-Tasket ([Intercontinental] Intercontinent Records 1996)
Stockholm Concert [live] (Jazz World Records 1996)
Ella & Friends ([GRP] GRP Records 1996)
One Side of Me (Master Series Records 1996)
Fabulous (Musketeer Records 1996)
First Lady of Jazz (Leader Music Records 1996)
A-Tisket A-Tasket ([Hallmark] Hallmark Records 1996)
Together (Collector's Records 1996)
Rhythm & Romance ([ASV] Charly Budget Records 1997)
Sings Songs from Let No Man Write My Epitaph (Classic Records 1997)
Celebrated (Magnum America Records 1998)
In Budapest [live] (Pablo Records 1999)
The Enchanting Ella Fitzgerald: Live at... (Baldwin Street Records 2000)
The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald ([Pulse] Pulse Records 2000)
A Kiss Goodnight (Pulse Records 2001)
Ella Fitzgerald & Friends at Birdland:... [live] (Jazz Band Records 2001)
Lady Be Good: Live (Just Jazz Records 2001)
