The artist known as Billie Holiday, and later nicknamed Lady Day, was born as Eleanora Fagan, in 1915. Billie's childhood was sad. Her parents never married, and her father, Clarence Holiday, who played guitar with Fletcher Henderson, soon abandoned Billie and her mother (geocytes). At some point in her childhood, her mother moved to New York, leaving her to care for relatives who, according to Holiday, mistreated her. She left school after fifth grade, was sexually assaulted at age ten, and was imprisoned for prostitution in her early teens (arts and culture). You might think that Billie's tragic childhood left her in poverty for the rest of her life, but luckily her amazing voice and intense lyrics brought her to fame. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayWhen Billie was eighteen she moved to New York to live with her mother. . He admired musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith. Christmas music is known to be a blend of Armstrong's swing and Smith's sound (geocites). He started singing in a famous jazz club called Pods and Jerrys located in Harlem. It was there that she was discovered by John Hammond who arranged three recording sessions for her with Benny Goodman. She subsequently performed in many New York clubs and had quite a black following. Billie gained a larger audience when she performed with Count Basie in 1937 and Artie Shaw in 1938. This made her one of the first black singers to perform with a white orchestra (pbs.org). Being one of the first black singers to perform with a white orchestra was risky. This proved that, like many other famous musicians who shook up an era, Billie was not afraid to risk everything and go against the norms of society. Billie had many hits like Fine and Mellow and Lover Man, but none of these songs shocked the world like Strange. Fruit, a song about a lynching in the South. Southern trees bear strange fruit/ Blood on the leaves and blood at the root/ Black bodies swaying in the southern breeze/ Strange fruit hanging from the poplars (pbs.org). These lyrics were shocking to America at the time and I'm sure they angered many Southern whites. Billie Holiday is a true American hero for overcoming the racism that surrounded her and addressing the issue in a song that the entire nation can listen to. She wasn't afraid to speak openly about what she felt strongly about, regardless of the consequences. Billie wasn't going to let racism hold her back from her dreams. Billie may have been a drug loft, but who could blame her for her horrible childhood? She was evidently marked by her youth. You can hear his pain and sadness in his songs. Billie may not have the best voice in the world, but her lyrics have such a raw honesty that you can feel it deep inside, and that's what American music is. Keep in mind: this is just an example. Get a customized paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay I downloaded Strange Fruit and the song has an incredibly haunting feel to it. It's almost scary to listen to. I had this eerie feeling before Billie even started singing, simply from the tone of the song, not to mention the powerful lyrics. I will definitely consider Billie Holiday as the topic of my final article because I have respect for all the difficulties she has overcome throughout her life.