Celebrating the Incomparable Billie Holiday: Lady Day’s Legacy in Books and Media

Billie Holiday — or “Lady Day” as she was nicknamed by her friend and music partner, Lester Young — had a unique voice and distinctive style that made her loved by fans and other jazz musicians alike. She was especially known for her delivery and improvisational skills. Born on April 7, 1915, Billie had a turbulent childhood and often tragic life, which was not without controversy. Probably her most famous song was “Strange Fruit,” a song by Abel Meeropol based on his poem about the subject of lynching, which was considered by some of her peers too sensitive to be used in a song. Billie was not deterred and recorded and performed it many times. At the height of her career Billie performed at Carnegie Hall and was ranked at the top of many music industry polls as a jazz singer for many years. She was also revered by her fellow musicians.

Unfortunately, Billie succumbed to her substance abuse disorder and died at the young age of 44 years old in 1959. In the years since her death, she is still considered one of the best jazz vocalists ever, winning four Grammy Awards posthumously. In recent years she has continued to receive many honors including being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame. In 1985, a statue of Billie Holiday was erected in Baltimore. The statue was completed in 1993 with additional panels of images inspired by her song “Strange Fruit.”