The Life And Life Of Billie Holiday's Life

“No two people on earth are alike, and it’s got to be that way in music or it isn’t music,” -Billie Holiday. (PBS) Billie Holiday was one of the most famous blues and jazz artists of her time and still is today, but there are many people who only know her for her music and know nothing of her past. Given the fact that her life was not perfect by any means, Holiday would never had made the impact that she did if she were to have lived any differently.

Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was born to Sarah Fagan, who was just thirteen years of age when she gave birth to young Billie. Her father was Clarence Holiday, who was also only fifteen at the time of her birth. Also a musician himself, Clarence

During her first marriage to a man named Johnnie Monroe, Billie began smoking, and became addicted to opium. After their divorce she married Joe Guy, and became addicted to heroin, as well. (All Music) Sadly on July 17, 1959, these drugs finally caught up to her, and Billie Holiday lost her battle to her addictions, dying at the young age of 44. Holiday was admitted to the hospital for both liver and heart problems. She was so addicted to heroin that she was even arrested for possession while in the hospital. (Biography) Her funeral was later held in the St. Paul in the Apostle Roman Catholic Church on July 21, 1959 where over 3,000 people came to say goodbye to the legend known as Billie Holiday. Though her body is gone, her free spirit lives on forever. Holiday was one of the great women in her generation that, though her difficult past and dealing with her burdensome childhood, changed the face of music for all of eternity. “You can't copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling,” -Billie Holiday. (AZ Quotes) She may no longer be creating music, but her sound will never die. In fact, it is used in many of today’s movies and television shows, all the while introducing today’s youth to her amazing talent. For example, her song “Miss Brown to You,” was used in the 1995 movie Clueless, and “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” in the 1999

That song is “Gloomy Sunday”. The song isn’t hers originally, but i think she sings it best. I had listened to this song before I had even known about the research paper, and it has been on of my favorite songs ever since. Now, obviously, the song has a gloomy, almost disturbing feel to it. Just the instrumental part will give you an eerie feeling, but Billie’s voice really brings the whole song together. Honestly, for me there is no way to describe how phenomenal her voice is. I hear her music and instantly get goosebumps. The lyrics to some of her songs, such as “Strange Fruit,” are also just so meaningful and serious. She really just was an amazing artist overall.

Billie Holiday is a true representation of how important it is to be able to find yourself. Even though she was raised in poverty and sadness, she was still able to make something of herself. The life Billie lived truly shaped her into the strong woman she became and will forever be remembered as an infinite