Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 in Newport News to William Fitzgerald and Tempe Williams. According to a 9/11/94 Daily Press Article, they lived at 2050 Madison Ave. While Ella and her parents appear in the 1920 Census in Newport News, Jazz.com states that within the year her parents separated and she moved with her mother to Yonkers, New York. Ella's mother died in 1932 and she ran away to New York City and began singing in Harlem to pay to support herself. It was there that she was discovered and began recording albums in 1935. Fitzgerald's popularity grew quickly. From 1936-1969, she had 63 hits on the U.S. charts and during her lifetime, earned 13 Grammy awards and sold 40 million albums. Ella made many songs jazz standards; retiring from performing in 1993 and died on June 15, 1996.
Ella's smooth voice is unmatched by any of her peers. I feel honored to know that she spent some of her formative years here in Hampton Roads. Here she is singing one of my personal favorite jazz songs, "Cry Me a River."
If you'd like to read more about Ella Fitzgerald, I recommend looking at her website: http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/
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