There is an uncanny echo, a suggestion, and yet the style is a tribute to billie holiday, not an impersonation. The essence of billie holiday, one of americas most loved and memorable blues singers, is captured brilliantly in a tourdeforce debut performance by singer diana ross. There are rare clips from various unidentified tv appearances, plus clips from the few films she appeared in. Lady sings the blues trailer 1972 music by michel legrand. Lady sings the blues is ostensibly billie holiday s autobiography. Beginning with holiday s traumatic youth, the film depicts her early attempts at a singing career and. Duftys writing style is good enough to make the reader feel they are reading lady day telling us her story. With diana ross, billy dee williams, richard pryor, james t.
Beginning with holiday s traumatic youth, the film depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with louis mckay billy dee williams, her boyfriend and manager. Good morning heartache billie holiday diana ross solo. Diana ross made her film debut in lady sings the blues in october 1972. Furie about jazz singer billie holiday, loosely based on her 1956. Lady sings the blues film by furie 1972 britannica. Mom and pop were just a couple of kids when they got. Lady sings the blues was taken from sessions taped during 1954 and 1956.
Diana ross sings billie holiday and a superstar is born. Lady sings the blues 1972 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Born elinore harris, billie holiday had a difficult teen and young adulthood period, which included working in brothels, both as a cleaning woman and a prostitute, and being raped. The featured songs on the album are from when holiday was signed with decca in the mid to late 1940s. Its a compilation of rare performance footage by the amazingly gifted jazz legend billie holiday herself. But where the film glosses over the complexities and bleak realities of her. Feb 24, 2020 also known as lady day, her autobiography was made into the 1972 film lady sings the blues. Then i waited and waited and waited for it to come out on cd. However, it was actually ghostwritten by william dufty. Like others who knew holiday, the duftys hated the 1972 film lady sings the blues, which starred svelte diana ross as the tough, buxom billie. Sep 18, 2006 billie holiday s autobiography, lady sings the blues, begins with one of the great alltime leads. Filled with the greatest songs of the incomparable lady day, this stunning film biography received five academy award. Lady sings the blues billie holiday born eleanora harris april 7, 1915 july 17. Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer billie holiday.
Filled with the greatest songs of the incomp arable lady day, this stunning film biography r eceived five academy a ward. I pondered this question for the longest time, and remained disappointed in diana ross until the very first moments of lady sings the blues, which play like a jazz tune that seems, at first, to make no sense until you as the listener finally tune into the music which actually made sense all along. See more ideas about lady sings the blues, lady and billie holiday. Aug 03, 2015 the movie, lady sings the blues, is a 1972 american biographical film about jazz singer billie holiday loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of holiday. Lady sings the blues is a 1972 american biographical drama film directed by sidney j. Lady sings the blues few voices in recorded music are as immediately distinctive and arresting as that of lady day. Furie about jazz singer billie holiday, loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of holiday s most popular songs. Dama pjeva blues je americki biografski film snimljen 1972. My mother gave me a cd called lady sings the blues back in the 90s, which had the same cover, but turned out to be vol. First off, this is not the dvd of the diana ross movie lady sings the blues. Lady sings the blues is a 1972 film about jazz singer billie holiday based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of holidays most popular songs. The racisms scene 1972 diana ross as billie holiday youtube.
It is the title song to her 1956 album, released on clefverve records mgc 721verve mv 2047. She doesnt sing in her own style, and she never tries to imitate holiday, but she sings somehow in the manner of holiday. Oscarwinning actor adolphe ceasar solider story narrates the classic and original movie trailer for the hit film lady sings the blues. Lady sings the blues is the title track of billie holiday s 1956 album written by holiday and noted jazz pianist herbie nichols. Beginning with holidays traumatic youth, the film depicts her early attempts at a singing career and. Its not as if diana ross floats above the film, always remaining somehow.
Also known as lady day, her autobiography was made into the 1972 film lady sings the blues. Pop star diana ross portrays legendary jazz singer billie holiday in this biographical drama. The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary jazz singer, billie holiday. Lady sings the blues is a 1972 film about jazz singer billie holiday based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of holiday s most popular songs. Glavni lik, koji u svojoj debitantskoj ulozi tumaci diana ross, je znamenita crna jazz i blues pjevacica billie holiday. Watch the video for lady sings the blues from billie holiday s the complete verve studio master takes for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Lady sings the blues billie holiday album wikipedia. Lady sings the blues film wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. It was produced by motown productions for paramount pictures. Diana ross made her film debut opposite billy dee williams in this romantic biopic. Billie holiday songs from the film lady sings the blues.
Buy a cheap copy of lady sings the blues book by billie holiday. Lady sings the blues arranged by, clarinet tony scott 2 bass aaron bell drums lennie mcbrowne guitar kenny burrell piano wynton kelly saxophone tenor paul quinichette trumpet charlie shavers vocals billie holiday written by holidaynichols writtenby holiday, nichols a2. Lady sings the blues is an album by american jazz vocalist billie holiday released in december 1956. Diana ross sang it years later in the 1970s film, lady sings the blues.
This week on black on black cinema, the crew discuss the 1972 biographical dram, lady sings the blues, about the life of famed jazz singer billie holiday. Lady sings the blues, the first of what threatens to be a series of socalled entertainments based on the life and hard times of the late, truly great billie holiday. I do not believe she would be the same musician without it, just the same as if she were born a rich white kid. First off this is not a factual biography of billie holiday. In 2000, holiday was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame. Lady sings the blues is the noholdsbarred, if somewhat dramatized autobiography of billie holiday, the legendary jazz, swing, and standards singing sensation. Billie holiday s autobiography, lady sings the blues, begins with one of the great alltime leads. The many faces of billie holiday documentario legendado duration. In 1972 diana ross portrayal of holiday in lady sings the blues was nominated for an oscar and won a golden globe. Watch lady sings the blues online stream full movie directv. Holiday would go on to be nominated for 23 posthumous grammy awards.
Billie holiday lady sings the blues releases discogs. Lady sings the blues captures the essence of billie holliday in this semibiographic sketch of the tragic life of the famous blues singer. Furie about jazz singer billie holiday, loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of holidays most popular songs. It was holiday s last album released on clef records. It was a japanese import on socalled virgin vinyl, the best of the lot back then. Billie holiday vocals, norman granz supervisor, herman leonard photography. The song also featured as the title track of a movie about holiday s life starring diana ross and has been covered numerous times by the likes of ella fitzgerald, diana ross, and smokey robinson. Billie holidays bio, lady sings the blues, may be full. The film takes several liberties with the 44year existence of lady day.
Casting a shadow over even holiday s brightest moments is the. Lady sings the blues is a song written by jazz singer billie holiday, and jazz pianist herbie nichols. Among the billie holiday standards performed by ross are my man. When diana ross chose to make her feature film debut playing the role of billie holiday, in the biopic lady sings the blues, released on 12 october 1972, it was a bold move for the motown queen. Billy holiday, lady sings the blues billie holiday used drugs all her life. Through this difficulty, she dreamed of becoming a jazz singer. Label variant of billie holiday lady sings the blues due to text immediately below verve records logo barcode and other identifiers matrix runout runout side a stamped. This work presents the billie holiday story her rise to the top from the slums and the streets, to the eventual slide down. Lady sings the blues the official website of billie holiday. Lady sings the blues incongruously transforms holiday s messy, bisexual, masochistic romantic history into a glossy romance about a troubled, needy womanchild and the endlessly patient dreamboat who could slow but never entirely halt her march toward selfdestruction. Jun 24, 2011 oscarwinning actor adolphe ceasar solider story narrates the classic and original movie trailer for the hit film lady sings the blues starring diana ross, billy dee williams and richard pryor. Mom and pop were just a couple of kids when they got married.
Lady sings the blues dvd the essence of billie holiday, one of americas most loved and memorable blues singers, is captured brilliantly in a tourdeforce d ebut perfor mance by singer diana ross. In deference to the other nominees, every time i watch this film i can only think diana ross was robbed for. The movie is filled with many of the great billie holiday songs, and ross handles them in an interesting way. Billie holidays bio, lady sings the blues, may be full of lies, but it.
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