Lady Day

Archive

February 7, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Billie Holiday With A Gardenia In Her Hair.

Billie Holiday with a gardenia in her hair. Billie Holiday wanting a husband and children. Billie Holiday living 100 days in a single night. Billie Holiday singing with a gardenia in her hair. Singing “God bless the child that’s got his own” And she never had her own… Billie Holiday dreaming of the happy marriage […]

Archive

November 12, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

On: Billie Holiday’s Voice

I was re-reading These Lives I Have Buried by Lindsay Rabbitt the other day, an excellent short book, an essay from the Four Winds Press series. And in and around stories of struggle and loss, heartache, pain, grit and soul there was a mention of Billie Holiday. An all but parenthetical mention – but I […]

Archive

July 5, 2015 by Simon Sweetman

Billie Holiday: The Centennial Collection

Billie Holiday The Centennial Collection Sony Legacy This year, 2015, marks the 100-year anniversary of Billie Holiday’s birth. And major labels being what they are, beyond a shadow of their former selves, there will always be an occasion for an attempt at the cash-grab. Sony Legacy is of course one of the worst here – […]

Archive

June 15, 2014 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1103

Sam Cooke, Tribute To The Lady (1959) Oh man, what a voice – Sam Cooke. Here he is, as the title tells you, paying tribute to Lady Day (aka Billie Holiday). The 12 songs here were all staples for Holiday, this was Cooke’s third album. He was still establishing himself as a great singer across […]