Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer. During her 59-year singing career, she won 14 Grammy Awards, was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Ronald Reagan , and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush .
She is often referred to as the First Lady of Song , the Queen of Jazz , and Lady Ella . She is noted for her clarity of melody, perfect diction, phrasing and intonation, and ability to improvise.
Through her manager Milt Gabler of Decca, Ella began collaborating with jazz impresario Norman Granzas, appearing regularly in his Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) concerts. Her relationship with Granzas was further strengthened when he became her manager. Her 1945 recording “Flying Home” was later described by the New York Times as “one of the most influential vocal-jazz recordings of the decade”. Her bebop “Oh, Lady be Good!” (1947) was similarly popular and established her as a leading jazz singer.
List of movies and TV shows
- Honorary Chairman of the Martin Luther King Foundation (1967)
- Bing Crosby Lifetime Achievement Award (1967)
- Kennedy Center Medal of Honor (1979)
- Lord & Taylor Rose Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music (1980)
- National Medal of Arts (1987)
- French Order of Arts and Letters (1990)
- Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Honorary Doctorates from Harvard , Yale , Dartmouth , Maryland Eastern Shore , Howard and Princeton Universities
