Billie Holiday – American Jazz Singer
Billie Holiday was an American Jazz singer who participated in the industry for 20 years, from the 1930s. Holiday’s birth name was Eleanora Harris, and her mother was Clarence Holiday. Both of them used the surname of the maternal grandfather until 1930 when her mother got married to Gough, and they had to adopt the surname. Later, she adopted the surname of her natural father, Holiday, and used the name of Billie Dove, because she was her favorite actress. From 1933, Holiday made recordings with different people, which helped bring her wider recognition. She then launched her career and became the leading jazz singer during her time. Unfortunately, Holiday engaged in drug abuse, and even after she went through rehabilitation, her health failed because of alcohol and drug abuse. She died in 1959.
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong was a leading trumpeter as well as a renowned and influential jazz artist. He was born in 1901 and died in 1971. Armstrong grew up in abject poverty, and when he as 12 years, he was a juvenile delinquent at Colored Waifs Home, where he learned how to play cornet in the band. He listened to King Oliver a lot, and that is how he quickly learned how to play music. In 1922, Armstrong got his fame when Oliver sent for him to play the second cornet. Armstrong married Lil Hardin, who was a pianist in the Oliver band. He recorded his solos in the band, and his popularity grew. Armstrong then took a solo career, and by 1929, he became famous. Armstrong ensured that jazz survived, and he made it develop into fine arts.
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