Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, In Newport News, VA, to her parents Temperance and William Fitzgerald. The couple split up soon after Ella’s birth, and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York. In Ella’s youth she wanted to be a dancer, although she loved listening to jazz recordings of Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and the Boswell Sisters, she idolized the lead singer Connee Boswell. In 1932, Ella’s mother died from a heart attack, and following this traumatic situation, Ella’s grades dropped dramatically, she frequently skipped school, and while being abused by her stepfather she ran away to her aunt's house. Ella was hired to work as a lookout at a bordello, and also with mafia affiliated number runners, but when the authorities
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She pulled a weekly audience at the Apollo and won the opportunity to compete in one of the earliest of the famous Amateur Nights. She intended to go on stage and dance, and to sing in the style of Connee Boswell, a singer who sung Boswell’s “Judy” and “The Object of My Affection” a song recorded by the Boswell Sisters, and won the first place prize of $25.00. In January 1935, Ella won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House, where she met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb, and Webb offered her an opportunity to test with his band when they played at a dance at Yale University. She began singing regularly with Chick Webb Orchestra through 1935 at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom. Ella Fitzgerald recorded several hit songs with them, including” Love & Kisses” and” If You Can’t Sing It, You’ll have to Swing It”, “Mr. Paganini”, and it was her 1939 version of the nursery rhyme” A Tisket, A Tasket”, a song she wrote that brought her worldwide public acclaim. Chick Webb died on June 16, 1939, and his band was named “Ella and Her Famous Orchestra”, with Ella taking the role of bandleader. She recorded over 150 songs with the orchestra until they broke up in 1942. On June 15, 1996 Ella Fitzgerald died in her home at age 79
She pulled a weekly audience at the Apollo and won the opportunity to compete in one of the earliest of the famous Amateur Nights. She intended to go on stage and dance, and to sing in the style of Connee Boswell, a singer who sung Boswell’s “Judy” and “The Object of My Affection” a song recorded by the Boswell Sisters, and won the first place prize of $25.00. In January 1935, Ella won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House, where she met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb, and Webb offered her an opportunity to test with his band when they played at a dance at Yale University. She began singing regularly with Chick Webb Orchestra through 1935 at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom. Ella Fitzgerald recorded several hit songs with them, including” Love & Kisses” and” If You Can’t Sing It, You’ll have to Swing It”, “Mr. Paganini”, and it was her 1939 version of the nursery rhyme” A Tisket, A Tasket”, a song she wrote that brought her worldwide public acclaim. Chick Webb died on June 16, 1939, and his band was named “Ella and Her Famous Orchestra”, with Ella taking the role of bandleader. She recorded over 150 songs with the orchestra until they broke up in 1942. On June 15, 1996 Ella Fitzgerald died in her home at age 79