Billie Holiday: The First Female Jazz Singer to Make History
Born in 1915, Billie Holiday was the first female jazz singer to record hit songs and rise to global fame.
While Bessie Smith, born in 1894, was a leading blues singer of her time, and Ella Fitzgerald, born in 1917, would make her first big splash in 1938 with A-Tisket, A-Tasket, it was Billie Holiday who made her mark first. She released her debut single in 1934, and by 1936, she had already produced monumental hits such as These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You), Summertime, and The Way You Look Tonight.
The following year, 1937, she released more iconic tracks, including Pennies from Heaven, They Can’t Take That Away from Me, and Nice Work If You Can Get It.
In 1939, she released Strange Fruit, a daring and controversial song that challenged racial injustice in segregated America—a groundbreaking moment in both music and history.
By 1941, she had written and recorded God Bless the Child, one of her few compositions, cementing her unique voice in the music world.
Other legendary tracks in her discography include Blue Moon, All of Me, April in Paris, I’ll Be Seeing You, Georgia on My Mind, and Solitude. Her career extended into the late ’50s, but tragically, she passed away in 1959, just a year after the release of Lady in Satin, her final album.
As one of the first female jazz singers, Billie Holiday’s interpretations of jazz standards have become the “definitive” versions for many of these songs. Her legacy is firmly established alongside the genre’s greatest icons.
In 2021, United States vs. Billie Holiday brought her story to the big screen, with Andra Day portraying Billie Holiday. Day’s performance earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win for her portrayal of the legendary Lady Day.
Billie Holiday Tunes | Related Pages
All Of Me | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play All Of Me by Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Bbmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | D7 | D7 |
All of me, why not take all of me…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: All Of Me (the Real Book) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Blue Moon | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Blue Moon by Billie Holiday using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, and the original recording. Practice in three keys!
| Abmaj7 Fm7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Abmaj7 Fm7 |
Blue moon, you saw me standing alone…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Blue Moon (Billie Holiday) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Georgia On My Mind | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G | B7/F# B7 |
Georgia, Georgia…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Summertime | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Summertime by Billie Holiday using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Bbm7 F7b9/C | Db6 F7b9/C | Bbm7 F7b9/C | Db6 F7b9/C |
Summertime and the living is easy…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Summertime (Billie Holiday) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Billie Holiday on the web
