Biography

Ella Fitzgerald, the most famous and influential jazz singer of all time, was born on April 25, 1917 in Virginia. At just 17 years old, she won first prize at an amateur contest in New York City’s Apollo Theater. Because of this, her career as a jazz vocalist was born, and skyrocketed from this point forward. Her wide range, improvisational skills, and sweet voice led her to greatness. Fitzgerald recorded more than 200 albums throughout her career and worked with legendary jazz musicians such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, and many more. Her most famous record, “A-Tisket, A-Tasket”, sold more than 1 million copies and had an immense impact on the art of scat-singing. She was awarded a handful of GRAMMY awards and worldwide recognition by the time her life came to an end in 1996 (at the age of 79).