Ella Fitzgerald was one of the top-selling female jazz singers, selling over 40 million albums and winning 13 Grammys.  Ms. Fitzgerald was widely admired for her singing, beauty, intelligence, and style. She was known as “The First Lady of Song.”

Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 in Newport News Virginia.  She had a very difficult childhood, including the death of her mother in 1932.  

By the time Ella was 17, she had debuted at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY, where she won an amateur contest.  After her win, she recorded several hits in Chick Webb’s band.  Her most popular hit was “A-Tisket A-Tasket” in 1938. When Chick Webb died in 1939, they renamed the band “Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra.”

In 1942, Ella left the band to pursue a solo career. She became the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, a music and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She performed with many icons like Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, and Teddy Wilson.

While she seemed to lead a charmed life professionally, her personal life was not as fortunate.  In 1941, Ella married Benny Kornegay, a convicted drug dealer and hustler. Their marriage was annulled after two years.  In 1947, Ella re-married, this time to a man named Ray Brown, a bass player. They were married for 5 years and adopted a child together, and named him Ray Brown, Jr. Even though Ella Fitzgerald had a good life, reality hit when she became diagnosed with diabetes. Shortly after that, Ella’s career started to fade.

Ella’s last recording was in 1989.  Her last public performance was in 1991 at New York’s Carnegie Hall.  In 1993, Ms. Fitzgerald, who was already visually impaired from her diabetes, had both of her legs amputated. On June 15, 1996, Ella Fitzgerald died from diabetes at the age of 79.

Though she died from a painful and difficult condition, Fitzerald will be remembered for her beautiful voice and the joy that her music has brought to generations of people who love her and her work.

(information from http://airjudden.tripod.com/jazz/billieholiday.htm)