Ella Fitzgerald

This passage discusses the famous female jazz singer, Ella Fitzgerald.

Lexile Level: 750L

Categories: People & Places Art & Music


Ella Fitzgerald was considered one of the greatest jazz vocalists of the 20th century. She was known as "The First Lady of Song" and was sometimes called "Lady Ella." She was born in Newport News, Virginia, in April, 1917. Fitzgerald had a three-octave vocal range. Her voice was famous for its purity. She was also famous for her ability to "scat." Scatting was a way of singing that involved using nonsensical words and sounds. Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy Awards over her long career. She was best known for her recording of the Great American Songbook. All of the songs in the Songbook were written by famous composers and songwriters. They included Cole Porter and Duke Ellington. Over the years, Fitzgerald performed with other famous musicians like Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Count Basie.


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