#317 Billie Holiday, 'Lady in Satin' (1958)

New Entry

A new entry by the magnanimous Billie Holiday and a worthy addition indeed. Holiday’s voice was a major influence on Jazz music in the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s, discovered by John Hammond in a Harlem club in 1933. Incidentally, Hammond signed Bruce Springsteen exactly 40 years later, and Bob Dylan too, 10 years before that. ‘Lady In Satin’ was the second last album to be recorded by Holiday and the last to be released in her lifetime. Holiday died at the young age of 44 years old due to cirrhosis of the liver from her drinking.

This album features a 40-piece orchestra conducted by Ray Ellis. 41-piece, really, as she played her voice like an instrument. Frank Sinatra said in 1958 that Billie Holiday was the “greatest single musical influence on [him].” Holiday had lost much of her upper vocal range in her 40s, but her voice is still incredible and unique. The emotion in her voice on these songs is a treat to listen to in itself. From the opening track, ‘I’m A Fool To Love You,’ you can almost hear the tears streaming down her face. Holiday would go on to influence thousands of artists in years to come, notably another tragic vocalist, Amy Winehouse.

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