Lady Sings The Blues: 50th Anniversary | Billie Holiday & William Dufty

Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography | Billie Holiday & William Dufty

Foreword by David Ritz | Harlem Moon Classic Books

How did an iconic jazz legend turn profound personal pain and societal struggle into the definitive voice of the American blues? Billie Holiday delivers in this epic biography.

About the Book:

This book is the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred autobiography of Billie Holiday, the legendary jazz, swing, and standards singing sensation.

From Holiday's rough-and-tumble Baltimore childhood (where she ran errands at a whorehouse in exchange for the chance to listen to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith albums), to her emergence on Harlem's club scene, to sold-out performances with the Count Basie Orchestra and with Artie Shaw and his band, this revelatory memoir is notable for its trenchant observations on the racism that darkened Billie's life and the heroin addiction that ended it too soon.

We are with her during the mesmerizing debut of "Strange Fruit"; with her as she rubs shoulders with the biggest movie stars and musicians of the day (Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Clark Gable, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and more); and with her through the scrapes with Jim Crow, spats with Sarah Vaughan, ignominious jailing's, and tragic decline.

All of this is told in Holiday's tart, streetwise style and hip patois that makes it read as if it were written yesterday.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lady Sings the Blues:

• Q: Is this book an objective historical biography or a personal reflection?
  A: This is Billie Holiday's definitive, official autobiography. Written in collaboration with journalist William Dufty just three years before her death, it functions as an intense, first-person confession. Rather than a detached history, it delivers her raw, unfiltered perspective on her own life, art, and survival.
• Q: What unique bonus material is included in this 50th-Anniversary Edition?
  A: This premium anniversary printing features a heavily revised, exhaustive discography compiled by music historian Phil Schaap. This tracking index details every official recording session, studio master, and vinyl release of Holiday's career, making it an invaluable reference tool for jazz collectors.
• Q: Does the narrative focus mostly on her musical success or her personal hardships?
  A: The book blends both, but it is famous for its unvarnished look at adversity. Holiday opens up completely about her childhood in Baltimore brothels, her experiences with Jim Crow segregation while touring the American South, her battles with heroin addiction, and her highly publicized arrest and time in federal prison.
• Q: Is the text considered 100% historically accurate by music historians?
  A: While it is a masterpiece of American literature, historians note that certain timelines and events were altered by Holiday and Dufty for dramatic effect or to protect individuals. The book is celebrated less as a strict textbook timeline and more as an authentic, emotional preservation of Holiday's distinct voice and psychological reality.
• Q: Who is the ideal target audience for this classic memoir?
  A: It is a vital read for jazz enthusiasts, pop culture historians, and students of African American studies and women's history. It functions as a foundational text for understanding the deep-seated emotional pain, racial barriers, and immense vocal genius that shaped 20th-century American music.

About the Author(s):

Billie Holiday: American Singer & Jazz Musician

Billie Holiday was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly influenced by jazz instrumentalists, inspired a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo.

William Dufty: American Writer

William Francis Dufty (1916–2002) was an American writer, journalist, and activist best known for co-authoring the classic autobiography Lady Sings the Blues with jazz legend Billie Holiday and writing the best-selling nutrition book Sugar Blues.

Bibliographic Data:

• Full Title: Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversary Edition with a Revised Discography
• Author(s): Billie Holiday & William Dufty
• Publisher & Imprint: Harlem Moon (An imprint of Broadway Books / Penguin Random House)
• Publication Date: June 13, 2006 (Original text published 1956)
• Binding Format: Trade Paperback
• Condition: Pre-Owned / Very Good
• Edition: 50th-Anniversary Edition
• Print Length: 256 Pages (Includes a comprehensive updated discography catalog)
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 9780767923866
• ISBN-10: 0767923865
• Library of Congress (LCCN): 56-007624
• Primary Genre (BISAC): BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music
• Sub-Genres (BISAC): BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Cultural, Ethnic & Regional / African American & Black; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women; MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Jazz
• Dimensions: 5.15 x 0.58 x 7.98 inches
• Weight: 7.2 oz (approx. 0.45 lbs)

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Explore the special 50th-anniversary edition featuring a revised discography and the unforgettable story of a jazz icon. Tap to discover this classic today!