Happy Birthday to Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday, born April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a superstar of her day. She first rose to prominence in the 1930s with a unique style that reinvented the conventions of modern singing and performance. More than 80 years after making her first recording Billie’s legacy continues to embody what is elegant and cool in contemporary music. Holiday’s complicated life and her genre-defining autobiography “Lady Sings the Blues” made her a cultural icon. The evocative, soulful voice that she boldly put forth as a force for good, turned any song she sang into her own. Today, Billie Holiday is remembered for her musical masterpieces, her songwriting skills, creativity, and courageous views on inequality and justice. Billie’s Story

Born: April 7, 1915, Philadelphia, PA
Died: July 17, 1959, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan., New York, NY