1. Billie Holiday

2. Billie Holiday – Jazz Singer
Born April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia PA
Grew up in jazz talent-rich Baltimore in the 1920s
She has one of the greatest jazz voices of all time
Died July 17, 1959 in New York City, New York


4. Lady of Many Names Born as Eleanora Fagan Gough
Changed her name to “Billie Holiday” because of her admiration for film star “Billie Dove.”
She was known as “Lady Day”

5. A Rough Start Her father abandoned the family early
Her mother moved away and she was left with mean relatives
She worked small jobs with little pay
She had very little schooling

6. Discovering Fame She made her singing debut in Harlem nightclubs
She never underwent any technical training and never learned how to read music
She would move from one club to another, working for tips
 Holiday was spotted by John Hammond and cut her first record as part of a studio group led by Benny Goodman

7. Honors Awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987
The United States Postal Service introduced a Billie Holiday postage stamp in 1994
She ranked No. 6 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Rock n' Roll in 1999
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000

8. A statue of Holiday at the corner of Lafayette and Pennsylvania Avenues in Baltimore

9. Resources http://www.billieholiday.com/