World of biography/ella fitzgerald
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From 1956 to 1964, she recorded covers* of other artists` music, including Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, and the Gershwins. The group was renamed "Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Band." Marriages In 1941, Fitzgerald married Benny Kornegay. However, they remained friends for the remainder of their lives.
Occasionally, Ella took on small jobs to contribute money as well. A collection of those tunes was known as The Great American Songbook. She also was diagnosed with diabetes, which was to blame for her failing eyesight. Granz persuaded Fitzgerald to sign with him; it was the beginning of a lifelong business relationship and friendship.
After gaining much fame from singing her own renditions of famous jazz songs, Fitzgerald began appearing on television shows like “The Bing Crosby Show,” "The Frank Sinatra Show," and "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Fitzgerald became an international star, known as "The First Lady of Song." Despite her declining health, she continued performing, sometimes two shows a day in different cities.
Ultimately, Ray Jr. and Ella reconnected and mended their relationship.
“All I can say is that she gave to me as much as she could,” Ray, Jr. later said, “and she loved me as much as she could.”
Unfortunately, busy work schedules also hurt Ray and Ella’s marriage. In 1979, Fitzgerald was inducted into the Down Beat magazine Hall of Fame, and she also received the Kennedy Center Honors for her continuing contributions to the arts.
The press went overboard. Suddenly, Ella Fitzgerald was famous.
Coming into her own
On June 16, 1939, Ella mourned the loss of her mentor Chick Webb. Despite protests by family and friends, including Norman, Ella returned to the stage and pushed on with an exhaustive schedule.
By the 1990s, Ella had recorded over 200 albums.
She was a guest on the Bing Crosby Show, Frank Sinatra Show, and Tonight Show, to name a few. And she didn’t know it.”
Worldwide recognition
Ella continued to work as hard as she had early on in her career, despite the ill effects on her health. In 1938, at the age of 21, Ella recorded a playful version of the nursery rhyme, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." One million copies later, the tune hit number one and stayed on the pop charts for 17 weeks.
From bud to blossom In 1935, Ella began to sing with Webb’s orchestra at Harlem`s Savoy Ballroom. However, the busy schedules also put a strain on the couple’s marriage, and they were divorced in 1958. By the end of her career, she had recorded 2,000 songs, earned fourteen Grammy awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1992). In the process he and Ella became lifelong friends, often working together.
Fueled by enthusiastic supporters, Ella began entering – and winning – every talent show she could find.
After getting into trouble with the police, she was taken into custody and sent to a reform school. She felt at home in the spotlight.
“Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience,” Ella said.