Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), full name Ella Jane Fitzgerald, was a US jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She became well known as cabret singer during 1940s who developed scat-singing technique using voice as instrument during jazz improvisations. She was raised in Yonkers, New York, orphanage. At the age of sixteen, she caught attention of bandleader Chick Webb during a talent contest and joined him as singer and also headed Webb's band for two years after his death (1939). She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.

Wisdom & Quotes

• I used to be very self-conscious. I used to with I was pretty. My cousin Georgia always taught me that if you smile, people will like you. Sometimes people will say something you don't like, and you get angry a bit, but you just smile. You let it go by, even if you really would like to choke 'em. By smiling, I think I've made more friends than if I was the other way.

Spike Milligan