Miss Browning’sMiss Browning’s

Bach to RockBach to Rock

Music AppreciationMusic Appreciation1111thth-12-12thth Grade Grade

December 11December 11thth, 2005, 2005

Miss Browning’s “quote” of Miss Browning’s “quote” of the day!the day!

““These women are from a time,These women are from a time,

when the main requirement for being when the main requirement for being a singer...a singer...

Was that you had to be able to sing…”Was that you had to be able to sing…”

(Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Hilary duff (Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Hilary duff

Have NOTHING on these ladies!)Have NOTHING on these ladies!)

• Born Eleanor Fagan on, Born Eleanor Fagan on,

April 7April 7thth, 1915 , 1915

•Her Mother was 13 and her Her Mother was 13 and her Father was 15. They divorced Father was 15. They divorced when she was 3 years oldwhen she was 3 years old

• First Success at The Apollo First Success at The Apollo Theatre on November 23Theatre on November 23rdrd, , 1934.1934.

• Limited range (just over an Limited range (just over an octave)octave)

• Compensated with impeccable Compensated with impeccable timing, phrasing and emotiontiming, phrasing and emotion

•Nick Named “Lady Day”Nick Named “Lady Day”

• Trademark White Gardenia in Trademark White Gardenia in her hair.her hair.

One of the 1One of the 1stst black jazz singers black jazz singers to perform with white musicians.to perform with white musicians.

Still forced to use back entrance Still forced to use back entrance and wait in a dark room away and wait in a dark room away from the audience.from the audience.

Popular songs: “I cried for you”, Popular songs: “I cried for you”, “Billie’s Blues”, “My Man”.“Billie’s Blues”, “My Man”.

Miss Browning’s Favorites: Miss Browning’s Favorites: “Summertime”, “The Man I “Summertime”, “The Man I Love”, “God Bless the Child”.Love”, “God Bless the Child”.

Drug and Alcohol Abuser Drug and Alcohol Abuser Started with marijuana at Started with marijuana at an early agean early age

Spent 8 months in prison Spent 8 months in prison for Heroin possession. for Heroin possession.

Abusive RelationshipsAbusive Relationships

Ruined her talent and Ruined her talent and undoubtedly ended her undoubtedly ended her career.career.

Died on July 17Died on July 17thth, 1959 at , 1959 at age 44, with only $0.70 in age 44, with only $0.70 in her bank account. her bank account.

DRUGS ARE BAD!!!!!!DRUGS ARE BAD!!!!!!

JUST SAY NO!!!!!!!!!JUST SAY NO!!!!!!!!!

Born April 25Born April 25thth, 1917 in , 1917 in Newport News, VirginiaNewport News, Virginia

Grew up poor and homelessGrew up poor and homeless

Most popular female jazz Most popular female jazz singer in the USA for more singer in the USA for more than ½ a century.than ½ a century.

Voice: Flexible, wide Voice: Flexible, wide ranging, accurate and ranging, accurate and effortless.effortless.

Scat was magnificent. Could Scat was magnificent. Could imitate every instrument in imitate every instrument in the orchestra.the orchestra.

Won 13 Grammy Awards and Won 13 Grammy Awards and sold over 40 million recordssold over 40 million records

Big Break: The Apollo Big Break: The Apollo Stage Stage

Was set to dance but would Was set to dance but would have been showed up by have been showed up by “The Danciest Sisters “The Danciest Sisters around”. –Ellaaround”. –Ella

Faced with boos she asked Faced with boos she asked the band to play one of her the band to play one of her father’s favorite songs, father’s favorite songs, “Hoagy Carmichael’s Judy”. “Hoagy Carmichael’s Judy”.

Audience demanded an Audience demanded an encoreencore

Went on to work with all of Went on to work with all of the jazz greats!the jazz greats!

Ella was a very shy and reserved person Ella was a very shy and reserved person offstage and away from people she knew well.offstage and away from people she knew well.

She was self-conscious of her appearance and She was self-conscious of her appearance and her abilities.her abilities.

Onstage, she had no fear!Onstage, she had no fear!

Died on June 15Died on June 15thth, 1996 at , 1996 at age 78 (Miss Browning was age 78 (Miss Browning was 15)15)Recorded over 200 albums Recorded over 200 albums and over 2,000 songs.and over 2,000 songs.Popular songs: “A tisket a Popular songs: “A tisket a tasket”, “Caravan”, “I’m tasket”, “Caravan”, “I’m Beginning to See the Beginning to See the Light”Light”Miss Browning’s Favorites: Miss Browning’s Favorites: “How High the Moon”“How High the Moon”

“ “The Boy from Impanema”The Boy from Impanema” “ “Summertime”Summertime”

Born March 27Born March 27thth, 1925 , 1925 in Newark, New Jerseyin Newark, New JerseyNicknamed “Sassy”, Nicknamed “Sassy”, and “The Divine One”and “The Divine One”8 years of piano 8 years of piano lessons as a child, sang lessons as a child, sang in churchin churchVoice: Great range, at Voice: Great range, at least 3 octaves. least 3 octaves. Powerful Scat SingerPowerful Scat SingerMany felt should be an Many felt should be an opera singer (strong opera singer (strong classical voice)classical voice)

Won amateur contest at Won amateur contest at The Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre singing “Body and Soul”singing “Body and Soul”Got a gig with Earl Got a gig with Earl Hines Big Band, but a Hines Big Band, but a musicians strike kept musicians strike kept her from recording her from recording (1943-44)(1943-44)Landed 5 year Landed 5 year recording contract with recording contract with Columbia Records Columbia Records (same label as Destiny’s (same label as Destiny’s Child and Mariah Carey)Child and Mariah Carey)

Died April 3Died April 3rdrd, 1990 just , 1990 just after her 66after her 66thth birthday birthday

Recorded about 100 Recorded about 100 albumsalbums

Popular Songs: “Lover Popular Songs: “Lover Man”, “Perdido”, Man”, “Perdido”, “Sassy’s Blues”“Sassy’s Blues”

Miss Browning’s Miss Browning’s Favorites: “Honeysuckle Favorites: “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Black Coffee”, Rose”, “Black Coffee”, “Summertime”“Summertime”

Were you paying Were you paying attention??attention??

Where did all of our divas Where did all of our divas get their big break??get their big break??

(hint….it’s on after Saturday Night (hint….it’s on after Saturday Night Live)Live)

Who got it right?Who got it right?

TheThe

Apollo Apollo TheatreTheatre

What else ya got?What else ya got?

Who wore a white gardenia in Who wore a white gardenia in her hair her hair

as her trademark?as her trademark?

Survey Says!!Survey Says!!

““Lady Day”Lady Day”

Billie HolidayBillie Holiday

Did you pick up on this?Did you pick up on this?

What is Miss Browning’s What is Miss Browning’s favorite favorite

Song??Song??

It’s all coming back now!!It’s all coming back now!!

SummertimeSummertime

You have got to get this one You have got to get this one right!!right!!

What does Miss Browning say What does Miss Browning say aboutabout

DRUGS????DRUGS????

Say it together now!!!Say it together now!!!

Drugs Drugs are are

BAD!!!BAD!!!

The Official Ella Fitzgerald Website (n.d.). Retrieved The Official Ella Fitzgerald Website (n.d.). Retrieved December 4December 4thth, 2005 From , 2005 From www.ellafitzgerald.comwww.ellafitzgerald.com

Ella Fitzgerald Tribute (n.d.) Retrieved December 4Ella Fitzgerald Tribute (n.d.) Retrieved December 4thth, , 2005 From 2005 From http://www.public.iastate.edu/~vwindsor/Ella.htmlhttp://www.public.iastate.edu/~vwindsor/Ella.html

First Lady of Song (The Ella Fitzgerald Web Site) First Lady of Song (The Ella Fitzgerald Web Site) (n.d.) Retrieved December 4(n.d.) Retrieved December 4thth, 2005 From , 2005 From http://www.geocities.com/swing4243/http://www.geocities.com/swing4243/

Billie Holiday from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia Billie Holiday from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia (December 6(December 6thth, 2005) Retrieved December 4, 2005) Retrieved December 4thth 2005 2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holidayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday

The Unofficial Billie Holiday Website (n.d.) Retrieved The Unofficial Billie Holiday Website (n.d.) Retrieved

December 4December 4thth, 2005 http://www.ladyday.net, 2005 http://www.ladyday.net//

A Tribute to Sarah Vaughan (n.d.) Retrieved December A Tribute to Sarah Vaughan (n.d.) Retrieved December 44thth, 2005 From , 2005 From http://parsec-santa.com/celebrity/celeb_pages/SarahVahttp://parsec-santa.com/celebrity/celeb_pages/SarahVaughan.htmlughan.html

Sarah Vaughan Page (n.d.) Retrieved December 4Sarah Vaughan Page (n.d.) Retrieved December 4 thth, , 2005 From 2005 From http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Sarah%20Vaughn.htmlhttp://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Sarah%20Vaughn.html

WAER Jazz 88 - 50 Greatest Female Jazz Vocalists (n.d.) WAER Jazz 88 - 50 Greatest Female Jazz Vocalists (n.d.) Retrieved December 4Retrieved December 4thth, 2005 From , 2005 From http://www.waer.org/50women.htmlhttp://www.waer.org/50women.html

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