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| Ten Thousand Motels |
'Collection' Marks Holiday Anniversary
By MICHAEL CIDONI, Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES - By many accounts, Billie Holiday would have turned 90 on April 7, although some historians say Holiday was born earlier than the often-reported 1915.
By far more accounts, Holiday, who died from a heroin addiction in 1959, was the greatest female jazz singer of all time.
On Tuesday, Hip-O Records released "Billie Holiday: The Ultimate Collection," a two-CD and one-DVD set that delivers a rare career overview.
"'The Ultimate Collection' is conceived as the ultimate overview of Billie Holiday's great career,"
The CD set "begins with her first solo recording sessions, and ends, as far the music goes, 1958, toward the end of her career with her classic 'Lady in Satin' album," Universal Music vice president Andy McKay told Associated Press Television News.
The DVD, meanwhile, offers "a visual portrait of the lady, including three performances that haven't been seen since they originally aired on television," McKay explained.
The result celebrates "an icon of music," said musician-turned-actor Queen Latifah, a big Holiday admirer. "And, just so unique, her style. People to this day are sort of emulating her style a little bit. But there's only one Billie."
Born in Philadelphia to teenage parents, Holiday made her recording debut in 1933 on "Your Mother's Son-In-Law," with Benny Goodman. It wasn't long before Holiday was riding high, with hit records and nightclub appearances, even two movies.
But throughout her life, Holiday battled personal demons. In 1959, she was arrested for narcotic addiction — on her deathbed. She died with just pennies in the bank and $750 strapped to her leg.
Yet over the years, Holiday's legend seems to have only grown. Many of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2000, she was installed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"Her story is, like, amazing, tragic," said Latifah, who reflected on the singer at a recent appearance. "I think every once in a while you see someone in this business who kind of mirrors her and you kind of hope that they'll pull it together."
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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Thanks for posting that. Lady Day is one of my all-time favorite artists. I don't see how 2 CDS could do justice to her amazing career, and I'm sure I probably have most of the songs, but I'll get it for the DVD.
Wonder if the licensing for her stuff allowed a true overview? She recorded for several different companies - mostly Columbia and Decca, but she recorded her most intense song, "Strange Fruit", for another, smaller label because Columbia wouldn't touch the subject matter - racism, and lynchings.
Hip-O is a cool company. They were involved with releasing the American Folk Blues Festival DVDs, which are INCREDIBLE.
Great picture of her, too. Her looks were a lot like the Stones' - sometimes she looked rough, and then again from a different perspective she could be absolutely beautiful.
This is my favorite picture of her. |
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