This singer had a voice range of three octaves. For more than fifty years, Ella Fitzgerald has recorded ninety albums. Her vocal compositions were performed both in the huts of the poor and in the presidential apartments.
Childhood
At one time, critics and connoisseurs of the vocal art half-jokingly noted that Ella Fitzgerald was able to sing perfectly even a telephone directory. Indeed, the singer could reproduce the sound of musical instruments with her voice. She was rightfully called Lady Jazz, giving credit to her talent. And there is not even a drop of exaggeration in this. The future pop star was born on April 25, 1917 in the small town of Newport, Virginia. Mother and father at that time lived in a civil marriage and were constantly in conflict with each other.
The head of the family, who is Irish by nationality, worked as a forklift driver, and his mother, who is African-American by nationality, was a laundress. Soon the parents separated, and the girl and her mother moved to the suburbs of the legendary city of New York. Here the mother met a native of Portugal and they began to live together. When Ella was six years old, she had a sister, who was named Francis. Religious traditions were strictly observed in the house. The girls attended church regularly with their parents. It was here that the future singer fell in love with church chants.
Creative career
Ella liked the performance of spiritual songs in church. Regular rehearsals and festive performances served as a good school for the development of the girl's vocal abilities. And Ella danced very well. She was invited to all the celebrations that were held at the school or on the district square. When the girl was 15 years old, her mother died. The financial situation in the house has reached the bottom. Only two years later, fate gave the future singer a chance to escape from the tenacious embrace of poverty. The Harlem Apollo Theater ran a regular competition to find young talent.
Ella Fitzgerald had to go through difficult trials, but she did not succumb to weaknesses and from the second run she became the winner of this competition. After this event, the career of the young singer began to develop according to the standard scenario. It is interesting to note that at first she was not taken seriously due to her tall stature, thinness and inferior clothing. But as soon as Fitzgerald began to sing, the situation instantly changed for the better. Already in 1935, a disc with the singer's recordings was released.
Recognition and privacy
In more than fifty years of performances, Ella Fitzgerald has received thirteen Grammy awards and a special Lifetime Achievement award. The Fitzgerald star appeared on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
Lady Jazz has been married twice. But she did not manage to have children. She raised and educated her nephew, her sister's son. Ella Fitzgerald died in June 1996 after a serious illness.
