On Saturday, June 15th, 1996, an era in jazz singing came to an end, with the death of 'Ella Fitzgerald' . Her 13 Grammy awards are more than any other jazz performer, and she won the Best Female Vocalist award three years in a row. Completely at home with up-tempo songs, her scat singing placed her jazz vocals with the finest jazz instrumentalists, and it was this magnificent voice that she brought to her film appearances. Her last few years, during which she had a bout with congestive heart failure and suffered bilateral amputation of her legs from complications of diabetes, were spent in seclusion.
Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (charter member).
Inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame.
Following her death, she was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California - Sunset Memorial Garden Mausoleum, Sanctuary of the Bells.
She was a victim in an early attempt to integrate the classical music audience in Houston, Texas. In 1955, she, Dizzy Gillespie and Illinois Jacquet were arrested by the vice squad before a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert at Music Hall, charged with gambling backstage. They were released in time to perform, on a payment of a $50 bail. Also arrested, promoter Norman Granz indicated that the raid was a set-up in response to his insistence that the concert not be segregated.
Ella joined ASCAP in 1940, and her chief musical collaborators included Chick Webb , Lupin Fien and Josef Myrow. Her popular-song compositions include "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", "You Showed Me the Way", "Spinnin the Web", "I Found My Yellow Basket", "Chew, Chew, Chew", "Please Tell the Truth", "Oh! But I Do" and "Just One of Those Nights".
Ranked #13 on VH1s 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll.
(August 1986) Had a heart attack, followed by a five way bypass operation.
Her first marriage on December 26, 1941 - to Harlem hustler Ben Kornegay - was quickly annulled at the advice of her agent and concerned friends. In later years, she denied having been married to Kornegay.
She had an adopted son, Raymond Matthew Brown Jr. (born October 13, 1949). He was in fact her nephew, the child of her younger half-sister Frances Da Silva.
Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 208-210. New York: Oxford University Press.
She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, D.C..
Pictured on a 39 USA commemorative postage stamp in the Black Heritage series, issued 10 January 2007.
Was an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6738 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
Was the first artist to chart in the United Kingdom with a cover of the John Lennon / Paul McCartney song, "Cant Buy Me Love". George Martin , The Beatles long-time producer, said that this was one of his favorites of all the songs he produced.
Was close friends with Marilyn Monroe , who helped Fitzgerald in her musical career by arranging for her to sing in upscale nightclubs that were segregated at the time of their friendship.
Her recordings of "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" and "Stone Cold Dead in the Market" were featured in the video game L.A. Noire .
Was good friends with Louis Armstrong , Tony Bennett and Julie London.
I sing with my eyes closed, and my whole mind is concentrated on what I,want to do. Any little noise can throw me.
The only thing better than singing is more singing. .
