Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Jane Fitzgerald grew up in poverty in Yonkers, New York. After her mother's death, she was homeless and living on the streets as a teenager. In 1934, at 17, she entered an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater in Harlem — intending to dance but singing instead when her nerves got the better of her. She won.

That moment launched a career that spanned nearly 60 years. Her voice — with its perfect pitch, three-octave range, and unmatched improvisational ability — made her the most celebrated jazz vocalist in history.

Fitzgerald recorded over 200 albums, won 14 Grammy Awards, and sold over 40 million records. Her Songbook series, interpreting the works of Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and others, elevated both the composers and the art form. She broke racial barriers by becoming the first Black performer to play venues like the Mocambo in Hollywood, with Marilyn Monroe personally calling to guarantee attendance.