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Ella Fitzgerald
1917 - 1996
Few
artists stand as the very definition of the art they practice, but Ella
Fitzgerald is one of them. No jazz singer can avoid being influenced by her,
or at least taking into account the monument of her work. Dubbed "The First Lady of
Song," Ella Fitzgerald in her lifetime, won 13  Grammy awards and sold over 40
million albums. She performed at top venues all over the world, and packed
them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range. They were
rich and poor, made up of all races, all religions and all nationalities. All
of them had one thing in common - they all loved her.
Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Va. on April 25, 1917. Her
father, William, and mother, Temperance (Tempie), parted ways shortly after
her birth. Together, Tempie and Ella went to Yonkers, N.Y, where they
eventually moved in with Tempie's longtime boyfriend Joseph Da Silva. Ella's
half-sister, Frances, was born in 1923 and soon she began referring to Joe as
her stepfather.
To support the family, Joe
dug ditches and was a part-time chauffeur, while Tempie worked at a
laundromat and did some catering. Occasionally, Ella took on small jobs to
contribute money as well. Perhaps naïve to the circumstances, Ella worked as
a runner for local gamblers, picking up their bets and dropping off money.
Their apartment was in a mixed neighborhood, where Ella made friends easily.
She considered herself more of a tomboy, and often joined in the neighborhood
games of baseball. Sports aside, she enjoyed dancing and singing with her
friends, and some evenings they would take the train into Harlem and watch
various acts at the Apollo Theater.
In 1932, Tempie died from serious injuries she received in a car accident.
Ella took the loss very hard. After staying with Joe for a short time,
Tempie's sister Virginia took Ella home. Shortly afterward Joe suffered a
heart attack and died, and her little sister Frances joined them.
Unable to adjust to the new circumstances, Ella became increasingly unhappy
and entered into a difficult period of her life. Her grades dropped
dramatically, and she frequently skipped school. After getting into trouble
with the police, she was taken into custody and sent to a reform school.
Living there was even more unbearable, as she suffered beatings at the hands
of her caretakers.
Eventually Ella escaped from the reformatory. The 15-year-old found herself
broke and alone during the Great Depression, and strove to endure.
Never one to complain, Ella later reflected on her most difficult years with
an appreciation for how they helped her to mature. She used the memories from
these times to help gather emotions for performances, and felt she was more
grateful for her success because she knew what it was like to struggle in
life.
In 1934 Ella's name was pulled in a weekly drawing at the Apollo and she won
the opportunity to compete in Amateur Night. Ella went to the theater that
night planning to dance, but when the frenzied Edwards Sisters closed the
main show, Ella changed her mind. "They were the dancingest sisters
around," Ella said, and she felt her act would not compare.
Once on stage, faced with boos and murmurs of "What's she going to
do?" from the rowdy crowd, a scared and disheveled Ella made the last
minute decision to sing. She asked the band to play Hoagy Carmichael's
"Judy," a song she knew well because Connee Boswell's rendition of
it was among Tempie's favorites. Ella quickly quieted the audience, and by the
song's end they were demanding an encore. She obliged and sang the flip side
of the Boswell Sister's record, "The Object of My Affections."
Off stage, and away from people she knew well, Ella was shy and reserved. She
was self-conscious about her appearance, and for a while even doubted the
extent of her abilities. On stage, however, Ella was surprised to find she
had no fear. She felt at home in the spotlight.
"Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience,"
Ella said. "I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my
life." In the band that night was saxophonist and arranger Benny Carter.
Impressed with her natural talent, he began introducing Ella to people who
could help launch her career. In the process he and Ella became lifelong
friends, often working together.
Fueled by enthusiastic supporters, Ella began entering - and winning - every
talent show she could find. In January 1935 she won the chance to perform for
a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. It was there
that Ella first met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb. Although her voice
impressed him, Chick had already hired male singer Charlie Linton for the
band. He offered Ella the opportunity to test with his band when they played
a dance at Yale University. "If
the kids like her," Chick said, "she stays." Despite the tough
crowd, Ella was a major success, and Chick hired her to travel with the band
for $12.50 a week.
In mid 1936, Ella made her first recording. "Love and Kisses" was
released under the Decca label, with moderate success. By this time she was
performing with Chick's band at the prestigious Harlem's Savoy Ballroom,
often referred to as "The World's Most Famous Ballroom."
Shortly afterward, Ella began singing a rendition of the song, "(If You
Can't Sing It) You Have to Swing It." During this time, the era of big
swing bands was shifting, and the focus was turning more toward bebop. Ella
played with the new style, often using her voice to take on the role of
another horn in the band. "You Have to Swing It" was one of the
first times she began experimenting with scat singing, and her improvisation
and vocalization thrilled fans. Throughout her career, Ella would master scat
singing, turning it into a form of art.
At the age of 21, Ella recorded a playful version of the nursery rhyme,
"A-Tisket, A-Tasket." The album sold 1 million copies, hit
number one, and stayed on the pop charts for 17 weeks. Suddenly, Ella
Fitzgerald was famous.
On June 16, 1939, Ella mourned the loss of her mentor Chick Webb. In his
absence the band was renamed "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Band,"
and she took on the overwhelming task of bandleader.
Perhaps in search of stability and protection, Ella married Benny Kornegay, a
local dockworker who had been pursuing her. Upon learning that Kornegay had a
criminal history, Ella realized that the relationship was a mistake and had
the marriage annulled.
While on tour with Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1946, Ella fell in love with
bassist Ray Brown. The two were married and eventually adopted a son, whom
they named Ray, Jr.
 At the time, Ray was working for
producer and manager Norman Granz on the "Jazz at the
Philharmonic" tour. Norman saw that Ella had what it took to be an
international star, and he convinced Ella to sign with him. It was the
beginning of a lifelong business relationship and friendship.
Under Norman's management, Ella joined the Philharmonic tour, worked with
Louis Armstrong on several albums and began producing her infamous songbook
series. From 1956-1964, she recorded covers of other musicians' albums,
including those by Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, the Gershwins, Johnny Mercer,
Irving Berlin, and Rodgers and Hart. The series was wildly popular, both with
Ella's fans and the artists she covered. "I never knew how good our
songs were until I heard Ella Fitzgerald sing them," Ira Gershwin once
remarked.
Ella also began appearing on television variety shows. She quickly became a
favorite and frequent guest on numerous programs, including "The Bing
Crosby Show," "The Dinah Shore Show," "The Frank Sinatra
Show," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Tonight Show,"
"The Nat King Cole Show," "The Andy Willams Show" and
"The Dean Martin Show."
Due to a busy touring schedule, Ella and Ray were often away from home, straining
the bond with their son. Ultimately, Ray Jr. and Ella reconnected and mended
their relationship. "All I can say is that she gave to me as much as she
could," Ray, Jr. later said, "and she loved me as much as she
could." Unfortunately, busy work schedules also hurt Ray and Ella's
marriage. The two divorced in 1952, but remained good friends for the rest of
their lives.
On the touring circuit it was well-known that Ella's manager felt very
strongly about civil rights and required equal treatment for his musicians,
regardless of their color. Norman refused to accept any type of
discrimination at hotels, restaurants or concert halls, even when they
traveled to the Deep South. Once, while in Dallas touring for the
Philharmonic, a police squad irritated by Norman's principles barged
backstage to hassle the performers. They came into Ella's dressing room,
where band members Dizzy Gillespie and Illinois Jacquet were shooting dice,
and arrested everyone. "They took us down," Ella later recalled, "and
then when we got there, they had the nerve to ask for an autograph."
Norman wasn't the only one willing to stand up for Ella. She received support
from numerous celebrity fans, including a zealous Marilyn Monroe. "I owe
Marilyn Monroe a real debt," Ella later said. "It was because of
her that I played the Mocambo, a very popular nightclub in the '50s. She
personally called the owner of the Mocambo, and told him she wanted me booked
immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night.
She told him - and it was true, due to Marilyn's superstar status - that the
press would go wild. The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table,
every night. The press went overboard. After that, I never had to play a
small jazz club again. She was an unusual woman - a little ahead of her
times. And she didn't know it."
Ella continued to work as hard as she had early on in her career, despite the
ill effects on her health. She toured all over the world, sometimes
performing two shows a day in cities hundreds of miles apart. In 1974, Ella
spent a legendary two weeks performing in New York with Frank Sinatra and
Count Basie. Still going strong five years later, she was inducted into the
Down Beat magazine Hall of Fame, and received Kennedy Center Honors for her
continuing contributions to the arts.
Outside of the arts, Ella had a deep concern for child welfare. Though this
aspect of her life was rarely publicized, she frequently made generous
donations to organizations for disadvantaged youths, and the continuation of
these contributions was part of the driving force that prevented her from
slowing down. Additionally, when Frances died, Ella felt she had the
additional responsibilities of taking care of her sister's family.
In 1987, United States President Ronald Reagan awarded Ella the National
Medal of Arts. It was one of her most prized moments. France followed suit
several years later, presenting her with their Commander of Arts and Letters
award, while Yale, Dartmouth and several other universities bestowed Ella
with honorary doctorates.
In September of 1986, Ella underwent quintuple coronary bypass surgery.
Doctors also replaced a valve in her heart and diagnosed her with diabetes,
which they blamed for her failing eyesight. The press carried rumors that she
would never be able to sing again, but Ella proved them wrong. Despite
protests by family and friends, including Norman, Ella returned to the stage
and pushed on with an exhaustive schedule.
By the 1990s, Ella had recorded over 200 albums. In 1991, she gave her final
concert at New York's renowned Carnegie Hall. It was the 26th time she
performed there.
As the effects from her diabetes worsened, 76-year-old Ella experienced
severe circulatory problems and was forced to have both of her legs amputated
below the knees. She never fully recovered from the surgery, and afterward,
was rarely able to perform. During this time, Ella enjoyed sitting outside in
her backyard, and spending time with Ray, Jr. and her granddaughter Alice.
"I just want to smell the air, listen to the birds and hear Alice
laugh," she said.
On June 15, 1996, Ella Fitzgerald died in her Beverly Hills home. Hours
later, signs of remembrance began to appear all over the world. A wreath of
white flowers stood next to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a
marquee outside the Hollywood Bowl theater read, "Ella, we will miss
you." After a private memorial service, traffic on the freeway was
stopped to let her funeral procession pass through. She was laid to rest in the
"Sanctuary of the Bells" section of the Sunset Mission Mausoleum at
Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Calif.
The
Official Ella Fitzgerald Website
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