Background Information on Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald is known as the “Queen of Jazz.” She was born on April 25, 1918 in Virginia. She moved to New York at a young age. She loved to dance and sing as a young child. Since she had such a passion at a young age this lead her to going to the Apollo Theater where she was there to dance. Once she got on stage she became scared and ended up singing.
What is Jazz?
Jazz is a musical conversation that is partly planned and partly spontaneous. Jazz is also a dialogue among the musicians who perform it.
The Beginning of Ella Fitzgerald
She had to overcome many racial barriers in order to get to where she wanted to be. She loved jazz and knew she had to prove to others because she knew men had it easier than she did. Through this inspiration she went places that many African Americans could not go. In her beginning years she was not allowed to be on television. She also was not allowed to perform at a club due to her race.
Successful years for Ella Fitzgerald
Although she had to face many barriers she was very successful in her career. She ended up getting booked to sing in another club, The University of Maryland named on of their campuses after her, and their was a stamp created with her face on it. There are many ways tributes have been paid to her by seeing and hearing her music on TV shows.
Life and Legacy of Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald passed away June of 1996. She leaves behind a great legacy. She was one of the first, and if it had not been for her we might not know many artists today. She won many awards and she is still known to people today. We will always remember Ella as one of the greats of Jazz.
Conclusion
Prior to this class, I did not know much about Ella Fitzgerald. I knew she was a jazz singer but did not know about her biography. I learned so many interesting things about her life. She was one of the best Jazz singers and had to overcome so many obstacles because of her color and gender. She is an inspiration to all that no matter what hurdles you have to jump over it is worth it in the end. I am thankful to this class for allowing me to learn about Ella Fitzgerald.