Billie Holiday

:For the Canadian broadcaster known professionally as Billie Holiday, see Billie Holiday (broadcaster).

Her voice

While instantly recognisable, Holiday's voice changed over time. Her first recordings in the mid-1930s featured a bouncy, girlish voice. By the early 1940s her singing became informed by her acting skill. It was during this time when she recorded her signature tunes Strange Fruit and I Cover The Waterfront. Many call her voice lovingly sweet, weathered and experienced, sad and sophisticated. As she aged, the effects of her drug abuse continued to ravage her range and her voice changed considerably, becoming somewhat rougher. Her last major recording, Lady in Satin, was released in 1958 and reveals a woman with an extremely limited range, but wonderful phrasing and emotion. The recording featured a backing from a 40-piece orchestra conducted and arranged by Ray Ellis. Ellis said of the album in 1997:

Related Topics:
Lady in Satin - Ray Ellis

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:I would say that the most emotional moment was her listening to the playback of "I'm a Fool to Want You". There were tears in her eyes...After we finished the album I went into the control room and listened to all the takes. I must admit I was unhappy with her performance, but I was just listening musically instead of emotionally. It wasn't until I head the final mix a few weeks later that I realized how great her performance really was.

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