Ella Fitzgerald
With a voice of grave authority, she elevated jazz singing through flawless technique and a boundless, joyful spirit of improvisation.
1917–1996 (age 79)·American jazz singer·Birthday: April 25·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Ella Fitzgerald’s story is an American transformation: a homeless teenager winning an amateur night at the Apollo Theater into the most revered vocalist in jazz. Her early fame with Chick Webb’s orchestra showcased her youthful swing, but it was her mastery of the Great American Songbook that cemented her legacy. Through a series of 'Songbook' albums dedicated to composers like Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, she didn’t just sing standards—she defined them for generations, with pristine intonation and elegant phrasing. Yet it was in scat singing where her genius felt most alive, treating her voice like a horn in dizzying, playful improvisations. She navigated the hardships of the road and racial prejudice with a determined grace, letting the music speak for itself. Fitzgerald didn’t just possess a beautiful instrument; she embodied the very soul of musical precision and exuberance.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Ella was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ella Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Ella's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Died at 79
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
Key Achievements
- Won 13 Grammy Awards, including the first ever awarded to a jazz singer, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Recorded the influential 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook,' launching her landmark series of Songbook albums.
- Her 1938 novelty hit 'A-Tisket, A-Tasket,' recorded with Chick Webb's orchestra, was her first major commercial success and became a signature song.
- Performed and recorded with the era's greatest jazz musicians, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie.
Did You Know?
She was a talented mimic and could perfectly imitate every instrument in a band during her scat solos.
She had a three-octave vocal range.
She was a shy person offstage and reportedly loved reading comic books, especially Superman.
Marilyn Monroe was a big fan and personally called the owner of the Mocambo club in LA to secure Fitzgerald a headline booking, which helped break color barriers in upscale venues.
“Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong.”
