Billie Holidays Early Life Billies mother moved Billie

Billie Holiday’s Early Life • Billie’s mother moved Billie to a room in an apartment house where she was once again left to fend for herself. Billie ran into some trouble with the law and had to spend a few months in jail. When Billie was released she knew she had to earn more money to survive and she started singing in clubs. When she was fifteen, she had to sing the same songs over and over again for customers. To keep the music interesting, Billie changed her voice and timing slightly while repeating the same lyrics. She claimed that she never liked to sing a song the same way twice. She loved the styles of Louis Armstrong and the great blues singer Bessie Smith, and learned to use her voice like an instrument, a skill that helped her attract the attention of talented jazz bandleaders.

How jazz was in NYC back then • The origins were traced back to the nineteenth century, when African-American musicians started experimenting with European musical instruments in their own distinct style. Jazz originated from New Orleans in the 1900 s, and soon disseminated to Chicago, New York and Kansas City. In the 1920 s were the most glorious years for this genre of music. The Harlem Renaissance and the jazz era was majorly influenced by the African-Americans, and the genre undoubtedly helped these people get acceptance in society through their talent. This era also reflected an eclectic mix of jazz, fashion and movies, all in co-ordinance with each other.