In the film, Holiday’s cyclical journey of rags to riches is shown through the eyes of Suzanne de Passe, Chris Clark, and Terence MCloy. Furie’s film also captured that same dynamic, aided by unforgettable outings from cast members such as Billy Dee Williams, and Richard Pryor as Piano Man. Sonically, songs such as “ Strange Fruit,” was a beautiful recording, but had a disheartening message within it, which was symbolic of the life and career of Holiday herself. Her seminal release, Lady Sings The Blues, captured Holiday at her best – and her worst. (Photo by LMPC via Getty Images)īefore the movie, there was the book but before the book was the album the started it all. Lady Sings The Blues, lobbycard, Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, 1972. However, instead of attempting to copy the iconic jazz singer’s demeanor, Ross decided to tackle the role in her own voice, which resulted in a near flawless, widely-heralded performance. Starring the legendary Diana Ross in her feature film debut, the project was thought to be a risk due to her lack of experience as an actress, as well as because of the stark contrasts between her look and sound compared to Holiday. The objective was to create a film that centered around a woman with a unique, God-given ability, but struggled with many social, societal, and personal issues that in turn evoked compassion from a wide range of audiences across the country.
Released on October 12, 1972, Lady Sings The Blues was not an entirely accurate portrayal of this talented artist but it also wasn’t its goal to do so. Sixteen years later, Berry Gordy’s big screen adaptation of the same name would further highlight the tragic – but sometimes beautiful – journey of the woman the world reverently knew as “Lady Day.” In 1956 she would publish her infamously transparent autobiography Lady Sings The Blues. Her vocal delivery and stage presence brought this Baltimore native to the heights of superstardom, but it was Holiday’s inner turmoil that would make her story so intriguing to future generations. To hear all these pieces sung in a manner faithful to the originals and yet individual in its own way is to be plunged back into a period in jazz history when even the most advanced instrumentalists had not divorced themselves by their own virtuosity from the mainstream of day-to-day life.Throughout the course of the 20th century, the public has long been enamored with the life and legacy of Billie Holiday. What the album tries to do is to evoke the feeling, not the notes, of the small group jazz of a generation ago and I would say that here and there come moments when what is happening might even be a shade better than what was played all those years ago.
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