A Smooth Highlight ~ (Billie Holiday)
Billie Holiday (1915-1959), born Eleanora Fagan, was an American jazz and swing music singer whose career, though marked by personal tragedy and legal troubles, had a profound and lasting impact on jazz and pop singing. Known as "Lady Day," a nickname given to her by her close friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday was celebrated for her unique phrasing, emotional depth, and raw intensity.
In the early 1930s, she moved to New York City and began singing in Harlem nightclubs. She was discovered in 1933 by producer John Hammond, which led to her first recording session with Benny Goodman.
Throughout the 1930s, Holiday recorded with prominent musicians like Teddy Wilson and Count Basie, producing jazz hits such as "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" and "Easy Living".
Holiday was one of the first Black women to work with an all-white orchestra when she toured with Artie Shaw in 1938.
A Smooth Focus ~ (Quincy Jones)
Quincy Jones (1933-2024) was an American record producer, musician, composer, and entertainment mogul with a career spanning seven decades. Known as "Q," he was one of the most influential figures in popular music and broke racial barriers throughout his life.
He began as a jazz trumpeter and arranger, touring with Lionel Hampton's band in the early 1950s. He worked with legends such as Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, and Count Basie.
Jones later became a successful pop music producer and executive. In the 1960s, he became one of the first African Americans to hold a top executive position at a major record label, serving as a vice president at Mercury Records.
He is widely known for producing three of Michael Jackson's most successful solo albums: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987). Thriller remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.
In 1985, Jones produced and conducted the all-star charity single "We Are the World" to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Jones was an accomplished film and television producer and composer. He scored films like The Color Purple, which he also produced, and composed the theme music for the TV series Sanford and Son.
He was a committed philanthropist and supported numerous causes, including civil rights and arts education for underprivileged youth.