United States vs Billie Holiday Is Rewriting Billie Holiday's Legacy

[Nevilledog]

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https://www.theroot.com/united-states-vs-billie-holiday-is-rewriting-billie-hol-1846345913

Jazz singer Billie Holiday was unequivocally a Civil Rights icon, but history doesn’t remember her as such.

As the first person to perform “Strange Fruit” on stage, Holiday, a Black woman, bravely sang about the lynching of Black people in America. The song was first recorded in 1939, in the midst of the Jim Crow era when the racial terrorism was rampant. The song’s lyrics said it all:

Southern trees bear a strange fruit/ Blood on the leaves and blood at the root/ Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze

“Strange Fruit” was a protest song, before the musical genre had a name. It reminded Holiday of her father, who died after being denied treatment in a hospital for white people. The legendary musician put her life and career on the line by singing “Strange Fruit” which was originally a poem first written by Abel Meeropol, and she soon became a target of the FBI.

Billie Holiday was known to battle with a heroin addiction, which caused her to be tracked and vilified by the feds, leading to her untimely death. But during the same era, white actors in Hollywood, like Judy Garland, openly battled with addiction but did not receive the same treatment. No doubt, racial bias has impacted the war on drugs, even to this day.

Director Lee Daniels brings Holiday’s story to life in United States vs Billie Holiday. In it, Holiday is powerfully portrayed by singer-songwriter Andra Day. The cast also includes Trevante Rhodes who plays Jimmy Fletcher, the Black FBI agent who tracked Holiday; Tyler James Williams as jazz musician Lester Young; Miss Lawrence who portrays Miss Freddy; Da’Vine Joy Randolph who is Roslyn; and Evan Ross as FBI agent Williams.

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[brush]

1. It's a "must see" for me as I've been a fan of Lady Day for years.

I appreciated Lee Daniel's righting the record on her. She was persecuted for years and denied her cabaret card so she couldn't perform in NYC for years.

She's one of my "big three" of jazz singers—Billie, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

[Walleye]

2. I agree with your big three

[brush]

3. They are the tops.

Some add Betty Carter, Carmen McCrea, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, all of whom I like but I'll stick with my big three.

I also like some of the current ones, Cassandra Wilson, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Diana Krall. I'm sure I'm leaving some out. Is Norah Jones considered a jazz singer?

[Walleye]

4. Yes on Diana Krall, haven't heard much of the other two, but I'll take a listen

I also like Peggy Lee and think she’s a bit under rated in jazz circles

[brush]

5. Yes. Peggy Lee doesn't get as much mention as she should.

I also should've added Betty Carter and Dinah Washington.

[Walleye]

6. Yes especially Dinah Washington. I wish I could sing like that

https://m.

[misanthrope]

7. Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald

Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, Shirley Horn, Dianne Reeves, Abbey Lincoln, all great vocalists.

The first two are likely the tops in my book. Vaughan had unparalleled vocal range. Fitzgerald used her rhythmic sense and impeccable scatting skills to employ her voice like an instrument. Both were titans of emotional tone as well.

[brush]

8. Ella's voice was so pure, it was bell-like to me. Sarah had the range...

oh boy, did she have the range, and could play some bad piano too.

[smirkymonkey]

9. Same here!

So sad. She was absolutely brilliant!

[pansypoo53219]

10. edgar tortured her.