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Black America Web
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
20 Famous Black Talk Show Hosts
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Talk shows have long been a staple of American television, offering a platform for entertainment, discussion, and cultural exchange. Over the years, numerous Black hosts have made indelible marks on the industry, bringing unique perspectives and voices to the forefront. From groundbreaking daytime programs to late-night innovations, these hosts have not only entertained but also educated and inspired audiences worldwide with their groundbreaking talent, opening doors for future generations. Meet Hazel Scott, the first Black woman to host a TV show. Hazel Scott, a trailblazing jazz pianist and vocalist, is widely recognized by historians as the first Black woman to host her own national television program in the United States. According to Women's History, more than just a performer, Scott was a fearless advocate for civil rights, standing up against the Hollywood studio system and testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee during a time when doing so posed grave personal and professional risks. Her signature fusion of classical music with jazz rhythms captivated audiences across America and around the world. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in 1920, Scott moved to New York City in 1924 with her mother and grandmother following her parents' separation. She was the only child of R. Thomas Scott, a West African scholar, and Alma Long Scott, a classically trained pianist and accomplished saxophonist. Hazel's musical aptitude emerged early—by age three, she could play piano by ear, and she was known to vocally protest when her mother's students hit incorrect notes. Thanks to her mother's deep ties to the music world, Hazel was given a rare opportunity to audition for the prestigious Juilliard School of Music. She was accepted on a special waiver at the age of eight—a testament to her extraordinary talent. By her teenage years, Scott was already a fixture in New York's music scene. At 13, she joined her mother's band, Alma Long Scott's American Creolians. Two years later, she made her solo debut performing alongside Count Basie's orchestra at the Roseland Ballroom. Around the same time, she won a contest that earned her a spot on local radio and soon after made her Broadway debut in the 1938 revue ' Sing Out the News .' Despite her growing fame, Scott graduated from high school with honors. Her breakthrough came in 1939 during a residency at Café Society, a groundbreaking integrated nightclub in Greenwich Village known for showcasing progressive talent. When Billie Holiday abruptly ended her engagement there, she personally recommended Scott as her successor. Scott quickly became the club's star attraction and was affectionately dubbed the 'Darling of Café Society.' In 1950, Scott broke new ground once again with ' The Hazel Scott Show,' a 15-minute television program aired three times a week. It initially broadcast in New York and later expanded nationally. On the show, Scott performed her unique blend of jazz, blues, and classical music, earning critical acclaim and strong viewership. However, her rising stardom was cut short when she was named in ' Red Channels ,' a publication that accused entertainers of Communist affiliations. The show was swiftly canceled, despite her refusal to back down under pressure. Scott's legacy is not only defined by her musical genius but also by her incredible commitment to justice and artistic integrity in the face of adversity. She walked so many of our favorite Black talk and TV show hosts could run and thrive. Here's a look at 20 influential Black talk show hosts who have shaped the landscape of television. 20 Famous Black Talk Show Hosts was originally published on Source:Getty Tyra Banks revolutionized the modeling industry with 'America's Next Top Model' from 2003 to 2015, and later hosted 'The Tyra Banks Show' (2006-2010), where she delved into personal stories and social issues with guests. Her candid approach and charisma made her a household name. Source:Getty Queen Latifah brought her multifaceted talents to 'The Queen Latifah Show,' from 1999 to 2001, blending music, comedy, and interviews with a focus on positivity and empowerment. Her warmth and authenticity resonated with audiences. Source:Getty Former NFL star Michael Strahan transitioned to television, co-hosting 'Live with Kelly and Michael' from 2012 to 2013 and later hosting 'The $100,000 Pyramid ,' and 'GMA3,' showcasing his versatility and charm. His engaging personality made him a favorite among viewers. Source:Getty Oprah Winfrey's 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' became a cultural phenomenon when it premiered in 1986, touching on topics from self-help to politics, and making her one of the most influential media figures in history. Her empathetic interviewing style set a new standard for talk shows and made her a beloved figure around the world until the show's end in 2011. Source:Getty Known for her candid and often controversial opinions, Wendy Williams hosted 'The Wendy Williams Show,' from 2008 to 2022, where she discussed celebrity gossip and current events with unapologetic flair. Her bold approach garnered a dedicated following. Williams took a step back from the spotlight in 2022 to tend to several health issues including her ongoing battle with lymphedema, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Source:Getty RuPaul had a brief stint with his talk show, 'The RuPaul Show,' between 1997 and 1998. However, his big break would come in 2009, when 'RuPaul's Drag Race' premiered. It brought drag culture into the mainstream, celebrating self-expression and diversity. RuPaul's charisma and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights made him a trailblazer. Source:Getty Sherri Shepherd co-hosted 'The View' from 2007 to 2014 and later launched her own daytime talk show, 'Sherri,' in 2022, where she now combines humor with heartfelt discussions on various topics. Fans love her funny and authentic delivery on air. Source:Getty Steve Harvey parlayed his funny humor as a comic into his full-time hosting role with 'Family Feud' in 2010. He showcases his comedic timing and ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Source:Getty Star Jones gained prominence as a co-host on 'The View,' between 1997 and 2006, known for her legal expertise and candid opinions. Jones is the current host of 'Divorce Court,' a show that revolves around settling the disputes of couples going through messy divorces. Source:Getty An EGOT winner, Whoopi Goldberg has been a co-host of 'The View,' since 2006, bringing her sharp wit and diverse perspectives to discussions on politics, culture, and current events. Her contributions have been pivotal in shaping the show's strong dynamic. Source:Getty Comedian Wanda Sykes hosted 'The Wanda Sykes Show,' offering a unique blend of humor and political commentary. Her fearless approach to addressing social issues resonated with many viewers. The show aired on Fox and ran for one season between 2009 and 2010. Source:Getty Ananda Lewis hosted 'The Ananda Lewis Show,' from 2001 to 2022, a place where she engaged with young audiences on topics ranging from relationships to social issues, providing a relatable voice for her generation. Her approachable demeanor made her a trusted figure thanks to her early days as an MTV veejay. Source:Getty Oscar-winning actress Mo'Nique hosted 'The Mo'Nique Show,' where she combined celebrity interviews with discussions on real-life issues, all while showcasing her comedic talents. Her authenticity and boldness set her apart. The show ran for 7 seasons between 2009 and 2012. Source:Getty From 1989 to 1994, Arsenio Hall's late-night talk show, 'The Arsenio Hall Show,' brought a fresh perspective to the genre, featuring musical performances and interviews with a diverse range of guests. His show became a platform for emerging artists and cultural discussions. Source:Getty Tavis Smiley began his broadcasting career as a radio commentator in 1991. In 1996, he became the host of 'BET Talk'—a show that was later rebranded as 'BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley'—on Black Entertainment Television (BET). His tenure at BET came to an end in 2001 after he sold an exclusive interview with Sara Jane Olson to ABC News, prompting the network not to renew his contract. Following his departure from BET, Smiley transitioned to public radio and launched 'The Tavis Smiley Show' on National Public Radio (NPR), which he hosted from 2002 to 2004. He then expanded his platform with the launch of 'Tavis Smiley' on PBS, a weekday television talk show, and a revived version of 'The Tavis Smiley Show' on Public Radio International (PRI), both of which he hosted from 2004 until 2017. Source:Getty Montel Williams hosted 'The Montel Williams Show,' from 1991 to 2009, addressing a wide array of topics, including health, relationships, and social issues, often featuring emotional and inspiring stories. His military background and advocacy for veterans added depth to his platform. Source:Getty Comedian Chris Rock hosted 'The Chris Rock Show,' blending stand-up comedy with satirical commentary on politics and culture, offering a sharp and insightful perspective on societal issues. His fearless approach to comedy made the show a standout. The show ran for 5 seasons between 1997 and 2000. Source:Getty Lasting for two seasons (2002-2004), Wayne Brady hosted 'The Wayne Brady Show,' where he showcased his improvisational skills and musical talents, providing a blend of entertainment and humor. His versatility as a performer made him a beloved figure in television. Source:Getty TV and radio personality Bevy Smith has been the host of 'Bevelations,' since 2015, on SiriusXM. The show combines celebrity interviews with discussions on fashion, culture, and lifestyle, offering a chic and insightful perspective on the entertainment industry. Her vibrant personality and style make her a standout host. Source:Getty Comedian Sheryl Underwood was a regular contributor on the nationally syndicated ' Tom Joyner Morning Show' until June 2010. She also briefly hosted her own radio program, 'Sheryl Underwood and Company,' which aired on Radio One's Syndication One News/Talk network and on XM Satellite Radio's Channel 169, known as The Power. Additionally, Underwood hosts 'The Sheryl Underwood Show' on Tuesday nights on Jamie Foxx's SiriusXM channel, The Foxxhole (Sirius 106). In 2011, she joined the CBS daytime talk show 'The Talk' as a co-host during its second season, stepping in as a replacement for Leah Remini. Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Axios
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Harumi Sushi and the flavor of a changing city
In many ways, the rebrand of Harumi Sushi from a modest joint with worn booths and long waits to a sleek, expansive space bustling with well-dressed youths is emblematic of the glow-up downtown Phoenix has had over the last decade-plus. State of play: A longtime Phoenician, I moved to Texas nearly three years ago, and on a recent visit, was ecstatic to visit one of my favorite Valley spots in its new, modern digs. The sushi at Harumi was just as fresh as I remember, and they still use their signature purple rice, said to be rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Best bites: We tried a smattering of menu items: The Hamachi sashimi ($16) was pillowy soft and full of flavor. The Ama Ebi Nigiri ($10) was delightfully sweet. We also had the salmon nigiri ($9) and the trio sampler ($22), tasting the Arizona (shrimp tempura, crab salad, cream cheese, avocado and cucumber), Las Vegas (salmon, cream cheese, crab salad and avocado, tempura-fried) and shrimp tempura rolls. Plus: They have fancy cocktails now! The Café Society ($18), Harumi's take on the espresso martini, is nutty and super smooth yet also pretty strong. The Lucky Cat ($16) felt like a creative take on a margarita, which you can't go wrong with.
Metro
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Sean Penn's support of Woody Allen proves he continues to be #MeToo's blind spot
Sean Penn has defended Woody Allen, saying he would 'work with him in a heartbeat,' despite past allegations against the director. In an interview on The Louis Theroux Podcast, the Milk actor, 64, explained his doubts about claims Allen sexually abused his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. 'The stories are mostly told by people I wouldn't trust with a dime. It just seems so heavily weighted in that way,' Penn said. He stipulated that he can't say '100% this didn't happen,' but that 'I see he's not proven guilty, so I take him as innocent, and I would work with him in a heartbeat.' Penn said: 'I am not aware of any clinical psychologist or psychiatrist or anyone I've ever heard talk or spoken to around the subject of paedophilia that, in 80 years of life, there's accusations of it happening only once. I'm not aware of that. 'And when people try to associate what were his, let's say, much younger girlfriends, right or wrong … is to me a different conversation.' Penn worked with Allen on the film Sweet and Lowdown in 1999, for which he was nominated for an Oscar for best actor at the 2000 ceremony. Allen has always denied the allegations, and investigations by social services departments in Connecticut and New York state found no evidence of abuse. However, Allen's ex Mia Farrow and their son, investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, have always backed Dylan and her claims. In contrast, Allen and Farrow's adopted son, Moses Farrow, has been outspoken in defence of Allen. The allegations were made after Farrow and Allen split in 1992 after Farrow discovered that Allen was having an affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Soon-Yi was 21 and Allen was 56 when they started seeing each other romantically, according to Soon-Yi. Mia Farrow, however, has alleged the affair began much earlier. Allen and Previn married in 1997 and are still together. Regardless of the validity of the allegations made by Dylan, many people find Soon-Yi and Allen's relationship disturbing enough to avoid working with Allen or supporting his projects. But, like Penn, there are also plenty of powerful people in Hollywood who have defended Allen. Scarlett Johansson, for example, addressed the situation in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 'How do I feel about Woody Allen?' she said, 'I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him anytime.' More Trending Kristen Stewart also told Variety that she and Jesse Eisenberg decided to work on Café Society with Allen because: 'If we were persecuted for the amount of shit that's been said about us that's not true, our lives would be over. 'The experience of making the movie was so outside of that, it was fruitful for the two of us to go on with it.' As the years pass, Woody Allen continues to be one of the most polarising figures in Hollywood. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: How the Menendez brothers murder case unfolded after huge new release twist MORE: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' horrifying assault on ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura seen in new footage MORE: Halle Bailey granted restraining order after showing bruises from ex's 'ongoing abuse'
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Meet the Virginia Giuffre of the 1950s who was involved in a sex scandal that foreshadowed Epstein's sinister ring
Jerry Oppenheimer is a bestselling biographer whose subjects include dynasties such as the Kennedys, Hiltons, Kardashians, and icons like Martha Stewart and Anna Wintour. Long before underage Virginia Giuffre – who served as a 'sex slave' to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends there was glamorous teen Pat Ward. Like Giuffre, who tragically took her own life late last month at the age of 41, Ward was another teenage party girl. She attempted suicide three times after being coerced at 19 to be a high-priced call-girl to help financially support the playboy lifestyle of her do-nothing socialite boyfriend in a scandal that would rock New York City 's louche Café Society in the early 1950s, and make headlines around the world. Ward's boyfriend-turned procurer of beautiful young girls for the wealthy and famous from the Big Apple to Hollywood was Minot Jelke, known to one and all as Mickey. In his early twenties, he was a pudgy five-foot, five-inch heir to a margarine fortune, whose life revolved around drinking and womanizing through the night – every night – at such ritzy Manhattan haunts as El Morocco, the Stork Club and the 21 Club, where he was sure to find pretty young girls trawling for sugar daddies that he could cash-in on. In many sordid and tragic ways, the long lost to history Jelke sex scandal closely foreshadowed the vile sexual proclivities of Epstein, and his female recruits like Virginia Giuffre some seven decades later. Born Virginia Roberts in Sacramento, California, Giuffre came from a troubled home, had been molested by a close family friend beginning at age seven, and later became a teenage runaway, living on the streets. The dirty blonde, dark-eyed, and slender Lolita-type got a job in 2000, working as a teen locker-room assistant at Donald Trump 's Mar-a-Lago resort. It was there that she met Epstein's female sidekick and talent scout for young girls, the British socialite, Ghislaine Maxwell, and was offered the job as Epstein's personal massage therapist, with room and board and worldwide travel. She would claim she was then 'passed around like a platter of fruit' to the multimillionaire financier's friends, among them Prince Andrew with whom she famously alleged to have had sex three times. The younger brother of King Charles III, he consistently denied knowing her, let alone sleeping with her, but was pictured at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse with his arm around pretty Virginia's bare midriff, and with Maxwell gloatingly smiling in the background, in a now infamous photo. And to end a lawsuit, he settled with her to the tune of almost $4million. Meanwhile Epstein agreed to pay her $500,000 to drop her lawsuit against him. The married mother of three and advocate for sex trafficking survivors and sexual abuse victims died by suicide at her farm in Western Australia on April 25. As her family declared: 'She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and trafficking.' Seventy years earlier, Pat Ward also come from humble, impoverished roots. Born Sandra Wisotsky, she was brought up in New York's poverty-riddled Lower East Side – in a tenement on Avenue D – by her Polish-Jewish mother. The gorgeous teen appeared much older than her age – even drawing comparisons to Elizabeth Taylor. She dropped out of school and soon became a café society regular, and she and Jelke became an item. Ward's story was told in the 1995 Showtime movie, naturally called Café Society, in which Lara Flynn Boyle played her, Frank Whaley was Jelke, and Peter Gallagher starred as a fictional vice cop who goes undercover to probe the play-for-pay scandal. Jelke's grandfather, John Paris Jelke, founded the lucrative Wonder Margarine company that was later sold to Lever Brothers for a fortune. His remarried mother, Mrs. John Teal, of Park Avenue, was in the New York Social Register. Jelke was a spoiled scion living the high-life beginning at the age of 19 on borrowed family money while awaiting a $3million inheritance at age 25. He had a ritzy Manhattan apartment on East 48th Street, drove around town in a sky-blue Cadillac convertible, carried a revolver, and spent more money on booze, fancy dinners, and nightclubbing every night than the weekly take-home pay of the average American family was back in the early 1950s. It was a lifestyle that attracted hordes of pretty young girls like bees to honey, especially Pat Ward who moved in with him and wanted and was promised marriage. But Jelke kept putting a wedding off claiming he had to wait until he got his inheritance so they could live like millionaires. He saw a better way to generate income for himself: he coerced Ward to date and have sex with the rich and powerful men – from Manhattan to Hollywood – who partook in the café society party scene. Giuffre was hailed as a 'fierce warrior' for exposing the sex crimes of the rich and famous against underage girls Like teenage Virginia Giuffre who was under the spell of Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with prominent men in his social circle for his influence purposes and prestige, Pat Ward was doing the same for Mickey Jelke – but for money. She became part of a stable of young girls he had working for him, and with her model looks and 5'8' shapely body, Ward became quite an earner. According to an April 1955 report in Time magazine, which covered the café society scandal seemingly on a virtual weekly basis as did newspapers across the U.S., Europe and Australia: 'In five months, by her own reckoning, she made between $10,000 and $15,000 by renting herself, at $50 to $100 a date, to Mickey's well-heeled acquaintances,' Time reported. '[Twenty-five percent of her take was said to have gone to Jelke.] She could not remember exactly how many men she had accommodated, but there was always plenty of wolves at the door.' Jelke handled the money and arranged the dates, and even when he was out of town, he made sure she was doing her job, farming her out to a sometime madam, and telling her to 'keep Pat busy.' In his apartment authorities would find a bulging file of X-rated photos of girls, many in his stable, including Ward. The names of celebrities surfaced in connection with the scandal, among them screen stars like Mickey Rooney and George Raft, the sports writer Bill Stern, and others. Pat Ward appeared troubled when she arrived at court in New York to give evidence against her sugar daddy Mickey Jelke in 1953 Ward posed in her lawyer's office after the jury found Jelke guilty. He could have served up to 40 years in prison but was given a much more lenient sentence Most denied ever knowing her, with Rooney, stating: 'I met her five years ago at a party. What's wrong with that?' One Manhattanite was quoted as saying he knew her and told a reporter: 'As far as I know, nothing has been invented to replace sex for an unmarried man.' As with the suicidal Virginia Giuffre, Pat Ward's forced sexual lifestyle also came at an emotional cost. On three separate occasions, she unsuccessfully attempted to take her life, once with an overdose of sleeping pills in the Manhattan apartment of the comic actress Martha Raye for whom she was said to have briefly worked as an assistant after Jelke dumped her and Pat at the time was described as 'desperate and destitute.' She left a note that she wanted to end her life because of 'frustrated love.' Like Jeffrey Epstein who hanged himself in August 2019 in his jail cell at New York City's Metropolitan Correctional Center while he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, Mickey Jelke also served time, 21 months of a two-to- three-year sentence, convicted of procuring and gun charges, with Pat Ward as the prosecution's key witness against him. The charges alleged that he lured Ward into a life of vice, set her up 'in a house of ill repute and sent customers to her.' He had previously served eight months at Rikers Island for illegal possession of two pistols. He married a slinky blonde who was with him in the nude in his apartment bedroom on the night he was first arrested. Jelke, 60, died in North Miami in May 1990. Unlike Virginia Giuffre, Pat Ward never threatened a lawsuit, or cashed in big-time from her abuse. She did, however, keep a little red book with the names of men, some of whom had been customers. She made some money selling her story to the New York Journal American newspaper, and scandal rags like Confidential and True Confessions. At one point she had a quickie marriage and divorce with a wealthy Miami osteopath, and then seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth, and is presumed dead.
New York Times
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday is one of the foremost vocalists in jazz, whose emotional depth and unique phrasing inspired generations of singers to experiment with form and pitch fluctuation. Nicknamed 'Lady Day' by the saxophonist Lester Young, her star brightened in the 1930s behind a string of hit songs and notable live performances in Harlem. In what was the hottest jazz scene in the country, Holiday stood out, and in 1937 she joined the famed Count Basie Orchestra; a year later, the clarinetist Artie Shaw asked her to join his orchestra, making Holiday the first Black woman to work with a white big band. Holiday's legend grew in the late '30s during her residency at the Café Society in Manhattan. She was introduced to 'Strange Fruit,' a song by Abel Meeropol about lynching in the American South based on a poem he had written. Barney Josephson, the proprietor of Café Society, heard the song and brought it to Holiday, who first performed it there in 1939. It was a watershed moment for the singer: It's not only the most famous song in her repertoire, it's considered one of the most important in history, the track's vivid imagery a strong indictment of racism in the country. Holiday was officially a star after the recording of 'Strange Fruit,' and followed it with an impressive run of tracks in the early '40s that cemented her fame. While there's been a notion to only associate Holiday with pain and struggle, these accounts have dimmed her light as a firebrand artist whose creative bravery encouraged others to take similar risks. We asked 10 musicians and writers to share their favorite Holiday songs: Enjoy listening to their choices, check out the playlists and be sure to leave your own selections in the comments. 'Autumn in New York' Within the first two seconds of this song it's impossible not to be drawn into the spell of Billie Holiday's voice. Sailing confidently over lush chords by the pianist Oscar Peterson, Holiday pulls back the curtain on the beating heart of everyone who has loved, lost, loved again and (finally) lost themselves in that great city. A superb storyteller, Holiday explores every nuance of Vernon Duke's paean to autumnal introspection in the city that never sleeps. Through her knowing delivery, every detail becomes vivid, cinematic: couples holding hands in Central Park, clouds reflecting off endless steel buildings, sundown in Greenwich Village, the wry smile of the maître d'hôtel at the Ritz, a lipstick-stained empty cocktail glass left behind at the bar. Billie was queen of it all, one of the highest-paid Black entertainers of her time, who left no stone unturned on her journey toward the self. This is beyond jazz singing; this is mastery in its highest form. With this song, Billie takes her place among the greatest of all balladeer improvisers in the jazz canon, creating the definitive version of an American classic. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube 'Porgy' 'Porgy' — particularly her 1948 recording on Decca Records — is one of the best demonstrations of all that Billie Holiday is capable of. It highlights her vocal range (often criticized as 'limited') along with her renowned ability to convey complex emotions. The song is a heartfelt plea from one lover to another, asking for protection from an abusive ex, and you can feel how deeply the lyrics resonate with her — they fit her like a glove. Here, her voice effortlessly floats between deep dread and a tenderness reserved for the most intimate lovers. As ever, the vulnerability in her delivery adds a raw, personal layer to the performance. Holiday's ability to project seemingly opposing emotions simultaneously is remarkable, moving between languor and a regal stillness with effortless grace. This performance encapsulates the essence of her artistry, revealing the depths of her emotional landscape and solidifying her legacy as a true vocal powerhouse. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube 'Sophisticated Lady' Talk about a woman who lived. I remember first hearing her voice as a girl on vinyl at the library, and how it sparked curiosity about the pain I detected in her voice though I couldn't yet name it. Somewhere along my journey as a woman I found my way back to this song, this time knowing love, loss and the ravages of life more intimately. I nod slowly in recognition as I listen to the stories in Billie's tone, alone. The lyrics are the cherry. I could nerd out about how special her phrasing is, too, but this one for me is all about her longing, like she's singing into a mirror. Duke Ellington composed this before lyrics were written, and it's been recorded so, so many times. His version is bright and charming and impressive (like he was). Billie's version is no less masterful in its depth in my opinion. Hers gets me right in the guts. Sonically, it's a teary-eyed smile thinly veiling an ache at the back of the heart. It's a quiet, wistful ride after a fancy night out to find yourself alone. But for all its melancholy, there's a wink in there. Maybe even a shrug. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube 'Good Morning Heartache' This song is a perfect example of Billie Holiday's mastery of nonchalant, effective and ultimately human storytelling. Before she sings a single note the instrumentation sets up a somber tone, from the low winds to the aching strings to the taunting piano lines. Her tone and delivery immediately embody all that the intro has alluded to. She works in tandem with everything; she never oversings or overshadows the elements around her, but shares the space with the orchestration creating the melancholy atmosphere. She delivers the lyrics without flashy performance. It's a straightforward conversation, which is exactly how you might imagine someone deeply heartbroken would speak to you. The bridge presents a bit more urgency, and with the slightest of vocal variations from Billie, a plea is delivered — a little more volume and a slightly more nasal placement to fill out the sound is all it takes. Her impact is certainly still felt today; vocalists who employ a deeply personal, soul-baring approach can trace this style directly back to Billie Holiday and the blues singers of the early 20th century. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube 'God Bless the Child' It's a coldblooded line. Deriving from an argument with her mother over money, one or the other of the women (it's unclear which) said 'God bless the child that's got his own' when it became clear that the parent could not — or would not — provide. The line might have referred to a Bible verse, but the offer of Scripture instead of material assistance had to have felt like bitter bread. It became the silvery narrative thread for the song co-written by Holiday and the composer Arthur Herzog Jr. in 1939 that's since become a standard of the American songbook. Holiday's versions, with sly lyric tweaks and varied pacing, show her brilliance as an interpreter, in this case of the hard-knock gospel of self-sufficiency. There's her arch nod to the stinginess of some forms of charity — 'Rich relations give, crust of bread and such / you can help yourself, but don't take too much' — that always makes me wonder if she's touting the virtue of meekness or offering a grifter's advice: Don't draw attention to a con you might run again. In the chorus, that mama and papa 'may have' is treated as inconsequential: That's not our business. But there's a sweetness, a knowing salute, to the self-sufficient child in the way Holiday stresses and stretches the word — CHI-iiild, ch-EYE-ld — that centers our concern. The repetition that ends the phrase ('that's got his own, that's got his own') lands like a pat on the head to underscore the lesson. Holiday could stroll the ballad or turn it bluesy, lagging a step behind the beat or dialing up her vibrato like a trumpeter. But I always thought of it as a melancholic lullaby (as in this 1950 rendition with the Count Basie Orchestra): She gathers us chirren for a message. The earlier you learn it, the better. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube Find the full playlist on Spotify and Apple Music: 'Strange Fruit (Live)' Billie Holiday died July 17, 1959. This version of 'Strange Fruit' was recorded just prior. She first recorded the song in 1939. The words come from a poem by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish American who was moved to write it after seeing images of a lynching in a newspaper. All the pain of the world and Billie's beleaguered life under rampant racism can be heard in this 1959 rendition. 'Strange Fruit' was and is a protest song nonpareil, unfortunately still relevant and resonant today. Billie's world-wounded voice compels us from beyond the grave. As America fractures and frays, I turn to the artists and ancestors who remained truth tellers despite oppression, abuse and violence. Billie was hounded by government agencies who tried to silence her — specifically they did not want her singing 'Strange Fruit.' For 20 years she resisted and closed every set with it. You cannot listen to this recording and remain unmoved. A lament and a freedom song for the ages from one of the greatest artists and freedom singers America has ever produced. ▶ Listen on YouTube 'Fine and Mellow' This staging of Billie Holiday singing her own tune 'Fine and Mellow' is a performance I like to think of as Billie's blues essence mode. It's taken from an immortal document in the annals of televised jazz, the 1957 CBS production 'The Sound of Jazz.' In this performance, Lady Day, who appears easeful and in splendid spirits, is surrounded by a cast of fellow hall of famers, including Roy Eldridge and Doc Cheatham on trumpets, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Lester Young on tenor saxophones, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, Vic Dickenson on trombone, Milt Hinton on bass, Osie Johnson on drums, and Billie's then-current pianist Mal Waldron. Billie is in good voice, exhibiting a true sweetness in her expressions, the cameras capturing her priceless facial nuances as she luxuriates in several solos during the performance. It's all here: the expertly crafted mellow blues, Billie's loving, quite telling facial expressions (particularly telling as her dear friend Lester, whom she nicknamed 'Pres,' solos and a cameraman captures her love throughout his break), and her supremely relaxed vocal and aesthetic command of the blues. She positively inhabits 'Fine and Mellow.' This is Billie truly as 'one of the cats,' thoroughly immersed in the music, demonstrating perhaps her purest jazz performance on tape. ▶ Listen on YouTube 'Solitude' Billie Holiday sings masterfully about sadness and longing for what's gone in 'Solitude.' The songwriting is special in its vagueness, allowing the question of 'who' or 'what' to arise within us. The sparseness of the music and her pauses let the ideas linger in such a beautiful way. The haunting melody and her tone evoke a deep questioning — what of longing, loneliness and grief? Her voice is like a deep well, not just filled with pain but also genuine curiosity. There's a self-awareness that makes her delivery so special. For some reason when I listen to this, I don't worry so much, for her or for me. I sense the possibility of new beginnings in her voice. Her words are steeped in despair, yet she still feels solid, confident and somewhat protected from the pain she sings about, carrying a secret strength that resonates with me. I love this doubleness that occurs when Billie sings. Vulnerability and strength become one and the same. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube 'Detour Ahead' 'Detour Ahead' was the first Billie Holiday song that really hit me between the eyes. I'm not completely sure why; I had heard other, better-known tracks of hers before this one. I think it's something about the opening words of the lyric — 'Smooth road, clear day' — and the way her voice slides up the syllables and back down the other side. To use the song's road-trip metaphor, it's like cresting a little hill and being able to see the whole horizon spread out. 'Detour Ahead' is the inverse of a tune like 'Lush Life,' where Johnny Hartman radiates warmth even though he's telling a bleak story; Holiday here sounds like she sees black clouds following her on sunny days. But the narrator has hope that maybe this time it won't all end in a wreck — the lyric changes to 'no detour ahead' — and you want that for her. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube 'I'll Be Seeing You' I have a soft spot for songs that fool you in their delivery, attaching themselves to whatever association you most need. I tend toward the melancholy and relish nostalgia — Billie Holiday's 'I'll Be Seeing You' lies in the crux of that emotional breadth. You could be slow dancing with your first love for the last time, or riding a bike with your dad in the sun on a Saturday, or grieving a best friend in your later life, or sitting by the window on a spring day with incense going and a good novel in your lap. The same song can lie perfectly underneath a variety of beautifully nostalgic scenes of our lives. This song has accompanied me, personally, through a long list of bittersweet goodbyes. Packing up my first flat, hugging my first deep adult relationship goodbye, sharing a eulogy at my grandfather's funeral … for me, this song gently holds grief, cloaked in sweetness. Billie's delivery is so relaxed, so tender, and the gentle arrangement could only be described as joyful — but to me, it's a confession of being haunted by the thing you wish most to have, that can no longer be yours. ▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
