Lest We Forget

Billie Holiday, "Lady Day," started singing in Harlem nightclubs when she was 14 years old; she began singing professionally at the age of 15. She was discovered by impresario John Hammond and bandleader Benny Goodman in 1933. She appeared in bands with Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, and others. She also had a successful solo career, giving concerts in the United States and Europe. Her addiction to narcotics and alcohol brought about her early death at the age of 44. She sang mostly popular tunes of the day with her own unique "bluesy" style. Her recordings are still reissued, and a film based on her life, Lady Sings the Blues, starring Diana Ross, was released in 1972.

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