Ella Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer often referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz and Lady Ella. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a “horn-like” improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. In addition to her singing career, Fitzgerald appeared in movies and on popular television shows. Her musical collaborations with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Bill Kenny and the Ink Spots were some of her most notable acts outside of her solo career. After her passing, Fitzgerald’s influence lived on through her 14 Grammy Awards, National Medal of Arts, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and tributes in the form of stamps, music festivals and theater namesakes. Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 and died on June 15, 1996.
