Ella Fitzgerald

1. Ella Fitzgerald By: Mariah Hyde

2. Introduction Ella Fitzgerald was born April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia,. She was famous for her jazz ,and swing singing and the young age she became a band leader. I choose my power point on Ella because I was interested in her singing and I had heard many stories about her from my grandparents.

3. Childhood -Ella Fitzgerald was a baby girl born on April 25th, 1917. She was born in Newport New, Virginia. She was an only child who lived with her mother, Tempie Fitzgerald, who's job was as a caterer. Young Ella’s father died when she was only about 1 year old, she never really got to know, or bond with him. When she was less than a year she and her mother moved to Yorkers, new York. Her mother soon met a man and they moved in with him. Shortly after they got married. He was a ditch digger and also a chafer. Ella liked her step father but sadly the marriage didn’t last. Even as a young child she had a heart for singing, she would sing and dance around her house just for fun. In 1932 the tragic death of her mother, Tempi, was caused by a heart attack, leaving her 15 year old daughter an orphan. She moved into an orphanage in Riverdale, NY shortly after the death.

4. Adolescence -When she was about 17 she went to a chick web orchestra concert and went back stage to meet chick web. She made him watch her perform and he loved it! He decided to feature her In his orchestra. This was a great opportunity for her singing career. At the time , this was one of the liveliest swing bands in the country. Her first song she had recorded with chick web was called “love and kisses” When she was about 20 years old. Ella was about 13 she one a school talent show. she had her first hit record. This record was called “A-Tisket, A-Tisket”. After her moms death chick web and his wife decided to adopt her from the orphanage so she would be able to do things with the orchestra.

5. Adulthood - When Ella was about 24 years old she married a man named Benny konegayin in 1941. Ben was not the guy for Ella because shortly after about 6 months they got divorced. Ben was a drug dealer. In 1936 her new father, Chick Webb died. Even beyond the accident it helped Ella because she was now the new leader of the band. She was so upset when he died she was ready to quite. She didn’t want to go on, but she did. The band manager, Moe gale, suggested that they changed the bands name to Ella Fitzgerald and her orchestra. Ella became the new band leader, she was also the youngest band leader in the country. She was barley twenty years old. She became the front person, only because she was most known. The band soon started to tour with famous music promoter, Norman Granz. After there tour on December 7th, 1941 the band broke up. After the break up she set out to find a solo career. About a year after the tour she went to see her new boyfriend, Ray brown and his orchestra. While she was there the audience recognized her and requested for her to go sing a song with the orchestra. After her song the orchestras promoter asked her to join in there tracle tour. In 1947 ray and Ella got married. They soon bought a house and they adopted a baby. They named the baby, Ray Brown JR. the baby was really Ella's half sisters who she put for adoption. In 1952 the marriage faded and they got divorced. She kept singing and made many great hit records in her time. In 1996, June 15th, the swing singer died from her complications with diabetes.

6. Timeline Ella marries Ben, and annulled 6 months later. First record “Love and Kisses” Ella was born Married ray brown. 1917 1941 1948 1935 1932 1939 1942 1996 Ella's’ mom dies of a heat attack and Ella is sent to the colored orphanage in Riverdale NY. Webb dies, Ella becomes the leader of the orchestra Searches for her solo carrier. June, 15th, Ella dies of diabetes.

7. Positive Contributions Ella did many good deeds in her life. She adopted a young infant. Who was named ray brown Jr. Most of her best awards came in her older days. In 1962 she got a Grammy award fir best jazz vocalist. This was one of her first Grammys and she was thrilled! Everyone said they knew it would be her that would win. She was also named the woman of the year in 1982 by the people of Harvard university. She was a very proud woman for a long time. In 1987 Mrs. Ella Fitzgerald received the national medal of arts. She received this reward at the white house by the president, Ronald Regan. I'm sure she did many other good deeds in her life that we aren't sure about.

8. Interesting Story Ella did many interesting things in her life. The thing that interested me the most was how her new father died who she worked with but she had the strength to keep going. He was the leader of there band, and he was what pulled the band together. She didn’t want continue as part of the band any more after the death but she did it anyway. She was didn’t just stay in the band but she became the new band leader. She was put in front center at every concert because she was known best than all the other members. The band came through for almost two years. It was very impressing thinking she was only barley 21 years old, she had a hard childhood, and the fact that the most famous person in there band was gone. It did eventually break up but not for a few years.

9. Three questions? 1.) How did you feel growing up with out a father, and knowing he was dead? 2.) When you first moved in with Webb and his wife was it awkward, thinking he was your boss and you work with him? 3.) Was it hard to be in an orphanage but still trying to practice your singing?

10. Bibliography The book I used was Ella Fitzgerald by Bud Kilment Published in the Chelsea house publisher senior consulting editor Nathan Irvin huggin