Ella Fitzgerald

Ella joined ASCAP in 1940, and her chief musical collaborators included Chick Webb, Lupin Fien and Josef Myrow. Her popular-song compositions include "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", "You Showed Me the Way", "Spinnin' the Web", "I Found My Yellow Basket", "Chew, Chew, Chew", "Please Tell the Truth", "Oh! But I Do" and "Just One of Those Nights".

Her first marriage on December 26, 1941 - to Harlem hustler Ben Kornegay - was quickly annulled at the advice of her agent and concerned friends. In later years, she denied having been married to Kornegay.

She had an adopted son, Raymond Matthew Brown Jr. (born October 13, 1949). He was in fact her nephew, the child of her younger half-sister Frances Da Silva.

She was a victim in an early attempt to integrate the classical music audience in Houston, Texas. In 1955, she, Dizzy Gillespie and Illinois Jacquet were arrested by the vice squad before a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert at Music Hall, charged with gambling backstage. They were released in time to perform, on a payment of a $50 bail. Also arrested, promoter Norman Granz indicated that the raid was a set-up in response to his insistence that the concert not be segregated.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6738 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.

Was the first artist to chart in the United Kingdom with a cover of the John Lennon / Paul McCartney song, "Can't Buy Me Love" (1964). George Martin, The Beatles' long-time producer, said that this was one of his favorites of all the songs he produced.

Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (1979) (charter member).

Had a heart attack, followed by a five way bypass operation. [August 1986]

She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, D.C. (1987).

Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame (1995).

On Saturday, June 15th, 1996, an era in jazz singing came to an end, with the death of Ella Fitzgerald at her home in California. She was the last of four great female jazz singers (including Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Carmen McRae) who defined one of the most prolific eras in jazz vocal style.

Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 208-210. New York: Oxford University Press (2002).

Pictured on a 39¢ USA commemorative postage stamp in the Black Heritage series, issued 10 January 2007.

Her recordings of "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" and "Stone Cold Dead in the Market" were featured in the video game L.A. Noire (2011).