Monday, April 07, 2008

April 7 Birthday: Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday, musician
Apr. 7, 1915-July 17, 1959

The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World by Julius Lester, illustrated by Lisa Cohen (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2oo1)

Holiday moved to Harlem at age 14 when jazz was hot. Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and others were singing at that time. Billie joined in. Her trademark was a white gardenia in her hair.

Holiday is featured in Jazz, a film by Ken Burns.