1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, Hello, and welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: a show that belts out the greatest hits of history 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 1: one day at a time. I'm Gay Bluesier, and today 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: we're celebrating the stage debut of legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: a k a. The First Lady of Song. The day 7 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 1: was November one, n four, At seventeen years old, Ella 8 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,959 Speaker 1: Fitzgerald became the first female performer to win Amateur Night 9 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. She had prepared a 10 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: dance routine in case she was called on stage to perform. However, 11 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: at the last minute, Ella made the fateful decision to 12 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: sing a song instead. What happened next earned her the 13 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: twenty five dollar prize and placed her firmly on the 14 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: path to stardom. Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Virginia, 15 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: on April nineteen seventeen. She took an interest in dance 16 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: in the third grade and loved showing off her moves 17 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: to her friends on the way to school and at lunchtime. 18 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: Ella's love of jazz came partly from her mother, who 19 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: listened to artists like Louis Armstrong and the Boswell sisters. 20 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: As a young girl, Ella tried to emulate the sound 21 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: of lead singer Connie Boswell, later saying quote, my mother 22 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: brought home one of her records, and I fell in 23 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: love with it. I tried so hard to sound just 24 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: like her. Ella's life took a tragic turn in nineteen 25 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: thirty two when her mother died from injuries sustained in 26 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: a car crash. The loss hit Ella hard, and she 27 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: sank into depression. She dropped out of high school and 28 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: eventually got in trouble with the law. She was sent 29 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: to a reform school in Hudson, New York, where she 30 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: was frequently beaten by her supposed caretakers. Ella eventually ran 31 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: away from the reformatory and survived the next two years 32 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:25,399 Speaker 1: by singing and dancing on the streets of depression era Harlem. 33 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: At the time, the neighborhood was bursting with talented black performers, 34 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,959 Speaker 1: and the newly opened Apollo Theater was at the center 35 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: of the action. After opening in early nineteen thirty four, 36 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: the theater quickly made a name for itself as the 37 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: place to see top tier talent perform One result of 38 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: this glowing reputation was that Apollo audiences expected to see 39 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: the best. That meant they were eager to accept and 40 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: encourage strong performances. But the flip side was that when 41 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: a performance didn't meet that high standard, the crowd was 42 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: just as passionate in voicing its displeasure. The rowdy reactions 43 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: could be so brutal that the crowd at the Apollo 44 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: soon became known as the world's toughest audience. Near the 45 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: end of its first year, the Apollo Theater began hosting 46 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: a weekly amateur night where aspiring performers could enter their 47 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: names in a drawing for the chance to compete on 48 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: stage for prize money. But with a crowd like the 49 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: one I just described, the stakes were far higher than 50 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: just a cash prize. A positive response could make your career, 51 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: but a poor one could just as easily break it. 52 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: Ella Fitzgerald may not have taken that risk on November 53 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: one if not for two of her friends who dared 54 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: her to enter the drawing with them. As she later explained, quote, 55 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: it was a bet. We just put our names in. 56 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: We never thought we'd get the call. But shockingly, Ella 57 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: did get the call that night, though the timing couldn't 58 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: have been worse. In the off chance that she was 59 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: called on stage, Ella had planned to perform a snake 60 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: like dance routine popularized by Harlem artist Earl Snake hips Tucker. However, 61 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: just before Ella's name was called, a talented local dance 62 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: duo called The Edwards Sisters closed out the evening's main show. 63 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: Ella was mortified by the idea of following an act 64 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: that she once described as quote the dancing at sisters 65 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: in the world. The Edwards Sisters had actual costumes, their 66 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: routines were flashy and polished, and here was Ella, a disheveled, 67 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: houseless teenager, about to perform her street corner routine on 68 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: the biggest stage in town in front of a notoriously 69 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 1: demanding audience. Decades later, Ella described the moment she took 70 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: the stage, saying, quote, I looked and I saw all 71 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: those people, and I said, Oh my gosh, what am 72 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: I going to do out here? Everybody started laughing and 73 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: said what is she gonna do? That question was on 74 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: everyone's mind, and at the last possible moment, Ella changed 75 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: the answer. Instead of dancing, she would sing. As amateur 76 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: Night mc Ralph Cooper begged the jeering audience to give 77 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,559 Speaker 1: the girl a chance. Ella asked the band to play 78 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: a Hoagy Carmichael song called Judy Live Putting Live put 79 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: in pos There's only one in the Light of the 80 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: Sun that's Junior. She was familiar with the tune because 81 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 1: Connie Boswell's cover version had been one of her mother's 82 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: favorite songs. Unfortunately, Ella was so nervous that when the 83 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 1: music began, she forgot the words. The crowd started booing her, 84 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: so Cooper returned to the stage and asked one last 85 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: time for their patients. He said, quote, this young lady's 86 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: got a gift she'd like to share with us tonight. 87 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:11,919 Speaker 1: She's just having a little trouble getting it out of 88 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 1: its wrapper. Let's give her a second chance. This time, 89 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: the words came easily, and by the end of the 90 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: song the crowd was demanding an encore. Ella happily obliged 91 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: by singing another hit from the Boswell Sisters, the Object 92 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: of My Affections to go through what he wants to 93 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: affection and change. Her performance brought down the house and 94 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: one or the competition, but more importantly, it helped the shy, 95 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: self conscious girl realized that she belonged in the spotlight. 96 00:06:55,960 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: As Ella later said, quote, once up there, I felt 97 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: the acceptance and love from my audience, I knew I 98 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: wanted to sing before people the rest of my life. 99 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: She got started on that dream right away by entering 100 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: and winning every talent show in town. A year later, 101 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: she began performing with the Chick Web Orchestra, and then 102 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: made her first recordings soon after. All told, Ella Fitzgerald 103 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: recorded more than two hundred albums and two thousand songs 104 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: in her lifetime, selling over forty million albums in the process. 105 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: She won thirteen Grammys, the n Double, A CP Image 106 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 107 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: Her fifty plus year career took her to some of 108 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: the greatest venues in the world, including twenty six performances 109 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: at Carnegie Hall, but the most important show she ever 110 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: played may have been that first one at the Apollo 111 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: Theater in Harlem. For a young girl with a rocky 112 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: past found her place in the world by doing what 113 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: she loved. I'm Gabelusier and hopefully you now know a 114 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: little more about history today than you did yesterday. You 115 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: can learn even more about history by following us on Twitter, Facebook, 116 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: and Instagram at t d I h C Show, and 117 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: if you have any comments or suggestions, you can send 118 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: them my way at this Day at i heart media 119 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: dot com. Thanks as always to Chandler Mays for producing 120 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: the show, and thank you for listening. I'll see you 121 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: back here again tomorrow for another Day in History class. 122 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the i 123 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 124 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.