Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an iconic American jazz and swing singer, often regarded as one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time. Known by her nickname "Lady Day," given to her by saxophonist Lester Young, Holiday's career spanned from the 1930s until her death in 1959. Her vocal style was deeply influenced by jazz instrumentalists, and she was renowned for her unique phrasing and expressive voice.

Holiday's early life was marked by hardship. Her mother, Sadie, was a teenager when Holiday was born, and her father, Clarence Holiday, was a jazz musician who was mostly absent. Holiday spent much of her childhood in Baltimore, Maryland, and faced numerous challenges, including truancy and being placed in a facility for troubled African American girls. Despite these difficulties, she found solace in music, inspired by artists like Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong.

In the early 1930s, Holiday began singing in Harlem nightclubs, where she was discovered by producer John Hammond. Her first recordings were with Benny Goodman, and she soon gained recognition through her collaborations with pianist Teddy Wilson, producing hits like "What a Little Moonlight Can Do." Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, she achieved mainstream success, working with prominent bands and artists, including Count Basie and Artie Shaw.

Holiday's career was not without its struggles. She battled heroin addiction and faced legal issues, including a narcotics arrest in 1947 that led to a prison sentence. Despite these challenges, she continued to perform, notably selling out Carnegie Hall multiple times. Her later years were marked by a decline in her vocal abilities due to her addiction, but her technique and emotional delivery remained powerful.

Among her most famous songs are "Strange Fruit," a haunting protest against racism, "Fine and Mellow," "The Man I Love," and "God Bless the Child." Holiday's life and career were dramatized in the film "Lady Sings the Blues," and she was posthumously awarded four Grammy Awards for Best Historical Album. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as an early influence and is remembered as a transformative figure in jazz music. Billie Holiday passed away on July 17, 1959, in New York City at the age of 44.