She died at 3.10 am on Friday 17 July 1959 at the Metropolitan Hospital, New York. She was 44. Few singers fit the paradigm of the tortured artist as well as Billie Holiday. Born into absolute poverty and a broken home, she slowly worked her way up to stardom through sheer personal determination, only to fall into a spiral of addiction and die an early death of cirrhosis – 70 cents left in her bank account.
The toughness of her childhood cannot possibly be overstated: one day her neighbour went to her house to rape her, at this time an 11-year-old girl, only to be saved by her mother who came home and helped fight him off. That hardship permeates a great many of her songs. To me, she will always be the greatest pop singer of the 20th century: few peers to her supreme artistry among all singers. But what made her so great?
Register now to continue reading
Register to the Music Teacher website today to read more of the latest news and developments from the world of music education.
You’ll receive:
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
