{"product_id":"lady-sings-the-blues-billie-holiday-9780767923866","title":"Lady Sings The Blues: 50th Anniversary | Billie Holiday \u0026 William Dufty","description":"\u003ch2\u003eLady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography | Billie Holiday \u0026amp; William Dufty\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForeword by David Ritz | Harlem Moon Classic Books\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow did an iconic jazz legend turn profound personal pain and societal struggle into the definitive voice of the American blues? \u003cstrong\u003eBillie Holiday\u003c\/strong\u003e delivers in this epic biography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Book:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred autobiography of Billie Holiday, the legendary jazz, swing, and standards singing sensation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of this is told in Holiday's tart, streetwise style and hip patois that makes it read as if it were written yesterday.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions About \u003cem\u003eLady Sings the Blues\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eIs this book an objective historical biography or a personal reflection?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis is Billie Holiday's definitive, official autobiography. Written in collaboration with journalist \u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Dufty\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e What unique bonus material is included in this 50th-Anniversary Edition?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis premium anniversary printing features a heavily revised, exhaustive discography compiled by music historian \u003cstrong\u003ePhil Schaap\u003c\/strong\u003e. 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e Does the narrative focus mostly on her musical success or her personal hardships?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e Is the text considered 100% historically accurate by music historians?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eWhile 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e Who is the ideal target audience for this classic memoir?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Author(s):\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBillie Holiday:\u003c\/strong\u003e American Singer \u0026amp; Jazz Musician\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBillie Holiday\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Dufty:\u003c\/strong\u003e American Writer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Francis Dufty \u003cstrong\u003e(1916–2002) \u003c\/strong\u003ewas an American writer, journalist, and activist best known for co-authoring the classic autobiography \u003cem\u003eLady Sings the Blues\u003c\/em\u003e with jazz legend Billie Holiday and writing the best-selling nutrition book \u003cem\u003eSugar Blues\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBibliographic Data:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFull Title: \u003c\/strong\u003eLady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversary Edition with a Revised Discography\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor(s): \u003c\/strong\u003eBillie Holiday \u0026amp; William Dufty\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher \u0026amp; Imprint: \u003c\/strong\u003eHarlem Moon (An imprint of Broadway Books \/ Penguin Random House)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/strong\u003eJune 13, 2006 (Original text published 1956)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBinding Format:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trade Paperback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition: \u003c\/strong\u003e50th-Anniversary Edition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrint Length: \u003c\/strong\u003e256 Pages (Includes a comprehensive updated discography catalog)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage: \u003c\/strong\u003eEnglish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9780767923866\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0767923865\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLibrary of Congress (LCCN):\u003c\/strong\u003e 56-007624\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary Genre (BISAC):\u003c\/strong\u003e BIOGRAPHY \u0026amp; AUTOBIOGRAPHY \/ Music\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSub-Genres (BISAC): \u003c\/strong\u003eBIOGRAPHY \u0026amp; AUTOBIOGRAPHY \/ Cultural, Ethnic \u0026amp; Regional \/ African American \u0026amp; Black; BIOGRAPHY \u0026amp; AUTOBIOGRAPHY \/ Women; MUSIC \/ Genres \u0026amp; Styles \/ Jazz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003e5.15 x 0.58 x 7.98 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7.2 oz (approx. 0.45 lbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrab Your Copy!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the special \u003cstrong\u003e50th-anniversary edition \u003c\/strong\u003efeaturing a revised discography and the unforgettable story of a jazz icon. Tap to discover this classic today!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49822839832891,"sku":"0767923863","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780767923866.jpg?v=1777294989","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/lady-sings-the-blues-billie-holiday-9780767923866","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}