A landmark biography that reclaims Ella Fitzgerald as a major American artist and modernist innovator.

An account of the life of the influential jazz singer and civil rights advocate shares insights into her contributions as an African-American artist, drawing on inside sources to discuss her creative process and challenge misperceptions about her character. "Queen of Bebop brilliantly chronicles the life of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the twentieth century and a pioneer of women's and civil rights....

"Having lost her mother at a young age, Ella Fitzgerald struggled as a child, especially during the Great Depression. But after winning over the audience with her singing at an Amateur Night at the Apollo, Ella's career began, and she eventually went on to become a world-renowned singer known as the First Lady of Song. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can...

Presents information about Ella Fitzgerald, from her youth mired in tragedy to her rise to stardom as one of the top jazz singers of all time.

Will Friedwald’s illuminating, opinionated essays—provocative, funny, and personal—on the lives and careers of more than three hundred singers anatomize the work of the most important jazz and popular performers of the twentieth century. From giants like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland to lesser-known artists like Jeri Southern and Joe Mooney, they have created a body of work that continues to

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"One woman was recognized as the premiere singer of her era with perfect pitch and tireless ambition. One woman was the most glamorous star in Hollywood, a sex symbol who took the world by storm. And their friendship was fast and firm... 1952: Ella Fitzgerald is a renowned jazz singer whose only roadblock to longevity is society's attitude toward women and race. Marilyn Monroe's star is rising despite ongoing battles with movie studio bigwigs and...

"On a break between overseas jobs, journalist Asher Gaites returns to his hometown of Chicago--and allows his friends to persuade him to check out a hot new singer. At a downtown jazz club, he's soon transfixed by the lyrical voice and sensuous body of a woman who performs behind a thin, shimmering veil. The veil gives Moroccan-American Laila Barek the anonymity she needs since she has never been able to reconcile her family's values with her passion...

"This definitive look at the "The First Lady of Song" chronicles Ella's entire career, from her amateur night appearance at the Apollo Theater in New York to her unparalleled success on the stage and screen. The film includes never-before-seen performance footage and interviews with many of the great musicians who worked with and admired this truly amazing performer"--Container.

Follow Ella's rise to become a queen of jazz, renowned for her remarkable scat improvisations, but also for her very personal interpretations of the Broadway classics and her live performances with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, among others. Each spread recounts a different stage of her life, and key moments are captured by evocative photos from the time and by Rémi Courgeon's beautiful illustrations. The narrative of the book is recorded on...