Billie Holiday was a jazz singer/songwriter whose vocal style, derived from jazz instrumentation, carved new paths for manipulating tempo and word phrasing. Born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, Holiday's childhood, which was characterized by the frequent absence of her mother, served as early material for her music. Between 1929 and 1931, she performed with tenor saxophone player Kenneth Hollan, and the pair played in clubs and jazz bars all over New York. By 1932, Holiday replaced the singer Monette Moore at a club called Covans in New York City, where she caught the attention of producer John Hammond who arranged her first recording session in 1933 with Benny Goodman. She recorded "Your Mother's Son-In-Law" and "Riffin' the Scotch," which sold over five thousand copies. Holiday was signed to Brunswich Records to record normal pop tunes with Teddy Wilson in the new swing fashion that was growing. During the recording, her improvised melody lines inspired by jazz instrumentation became the new standard for jazz vocalists. In 1948, Holiday played her iconic sold-out show at Carnegie Hall, during which she famously fastened a bouquet of gardenias to her head. Despite her problems with drugs, Billie Holiday has a legacy of excellence with over 40 studio albums and classic versions of songs like "I'll Be Seeing You," capturing her textured and emotional voice in time.
