Billie Holiday

Artist

Roy DeCarava, 9 Dec 1919 - 27 Oct 2009

Sitter

Billie Holiday, 7 Apr 1915 - 17 Jul 1959

Exhibition Label

Renowned for making songs her own, Billie Holiday once explained, "I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That's all I know." This attitude characterized not only her singing style but her life as well. Having endured a difficult childhood, Holiday moved to New York City in 1927. Intent on fashioning a musical career, she began performing to supplement her meager income as a housemaid. Success onstage led to recording opportunities and, beginning in 1937, a close working relationship with Count Basie's band. Holiday later joined the Artie Shaw Orchestra, becoming one of the first African American singers to headline an all-white band. Despite the stardom she achieved, Holiday suffered various personal crises during the last two decades of her life, several of which were the result of drug and alcohol abuse.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

1957 (printed 1982)

Object number

NPG.93.345

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© Roy DeCarava

Type

Photograph

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Dimensions

Image: 33.1 x 25.4cm (13 1/16 x 10")

Sheet: 35.3 x 27.6cm (13 7/8 x 10 7/8")

Mat: 71.1 x 55.9cm (28 x 22")

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Costume\Jewelry\Earring

Billie Holiday: Female

Billie Holiday: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Jazz

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.93.345

Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4a7ae33aa-ab38-4039-8b72-4658af2f0056