Billie Holiday was one of many influential jazz singers during the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915 as Eleanora Fagan and began singing in local clubs and renamed herself “Billie” after the film star Billie Dove (“Billie Holiday Biography”). At age 18, Holiday was discovered by producer John Hammond who was impressed by Holiday’s performance at a jazz club in Harlem (Charles). Billie had a thriving career as a jazz singer until she died at age 44 due to heart and liver complications. Although she lost her battle of addiction that led to her death, Billie Holiday is not remembered as a tragic figure of the Harlem Renaissance, but she is remembered as one of the best jazz singers that ever lived. …show more content…
In addition, Holiday not only shined in the music entertainment business, but she also shined in film. Holiday appeared in Duke Ellington’s short film Symphony in Black and 1947 film New Orleans where she played as a maid and had the opportunity to perform with her idol Louis Armstrong ( "Billie Holiday Biography").
Billie Holiday continued to have a fruitful career and had a very successful tour in Europe. Billie also collaborated with writer William Dufty and wrote about her life story in a a book which was titled Lady Sings the Blues and was later made into a film where Dianna Ross played the part of Holiday. The making of this 1972 film also helped regain the interest of Billie’s music during that time ("The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum”).
Holiday's addiction began to take a toll on her voice when she recorded her last album Lady in Satin in 1958. This album had rougher sounding voice of Holiday, but she still was able to convey great emotional intensity ("Billie Holiday Biography").
Although Holiday’s life was brief, she made a huge marker during the Harlem Renaissance era and her legacy lives on. More than 3.000 people attended Lady Day’s funeral and in 2000 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of