A Tribute to Billie Holiday

Life of a Legend

Billie Holiday was very probably the greatest jazz and blues singer of the 20th. Century.  Almost 50 years after her death, she is even more beloved than during her lifetime.  Her voice was magic.  Her presentation was elegant, soulful, and brilliant.  The songs she wrote herself are classics.

Lady Day, as her friends called her, was born into poverty.  Her father ignored her and provided no nurturing or support.  As a teen she was sexually assaulted twice.  In her lifetime there were no rape crisis centers or professional therapists.  The aftereffects of her abuse included bad relationships, often involving physical abuse, a stint in a brothel, and heroin addiction.

Billie Holiday overcame these obstacles to create a body of work that will sing through the ages.   Through art she expressed her empathy for all who suffer.  "Strange Fruit", a song about lynching victims, became her signature song.  It continues to inspire the struggle for civil rights.  Below is a rare video clip of her performing "Strange Fruit".

Strange Fruit