Name: Lady Sings The Blues
Brand: Billie Holiday

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

5345887

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Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2017-11-10

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Universal

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

600753458877

Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Billie Holiday

Genre GB

Jazz

Label GB

Verve

Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan, was an iconic American jazz singer and songwriter. With her soulful voice and unique phrasing, she became one of the most influential vocalists in the history of jazz music. Known for her emotionally charged performances, Holiday's songs often explored themes of love, heartbreak, and social injustice.
Raised in a troubled environment, Holiday found solace in music from a young age. She began singing in Harlem nightclubs before catching the attention of record producer John Hammond. Her career took off with hits like "Strange Fruit," which addressed racial inequality.
Despite facing personal struggles and battling addiction throughout her life, Billie Holiday left an indelible mark on the world of music. Her distinctive style continues to inspire generations of artists today.

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Rough Trade Essential

Verve Records, also known as Verve, is a multinational record label that was founded in 1956 by jazz impresario Norman Granz. The label originated from the consolidation of Granz's earlier labels, Norgran Records and Clef Records. In 1960, Verve was sold to MGM Records and became a subsidiary of the company. Throughout the 1960s, Verve expanded its music genres to include comedy, pop, R&B, rock, and folk music.

During this time, Verve had successful jazz recordings from artists such as Stan Getz, Kai Winding, Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, and Jimmy Smith under the direction of Creed Taylor. In 1972, MGM sold its record division to Polydor which brought Verve into the newly formed PolyGram family of record labels. As a result of this transition, Verve focused primarily on jazz reissues while other non-jazz releases were absorbed into Polydor.

In the late 1980s, PolyGram decided to revive Verve with both reissue programs and new artist signings. This revitalization led to strong sales for both new material and remastered classic recordings. With the merger of PolyGram and Vivendi Universal in 1999 creating Universal Music Group (UMG), Verve Records became part of The Verve Music Group alongside other influential labels such as Blue Note Records and Impulse! Records.

The Los Angeles sessions dating from 1954 offer a fresher-sounding Billie, but that in no way diminishes the quality of the songs recorded in New York City. When it was originally released on Clef records, Down Beat magazine gave the album a glowing review and five stars. In their review of the 78-rpm release of Love Me Or Leave Me coupled with I Thought About You, Down Beat said: 'What counts is the penetratingly personal presence of Lady Day.’. When the album came out, there was a concert at New York City's Carnegie Hall on 10 November 1956 featuring much of this material along with readings from her autobiography. It was a sellout and despite the limitations with Billie's voice she delivered a superb performance. In less than three years, however, she would be dead.

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Lady Sings The Blues

Music GB

Buy Billie Holiday - Lady Sings The Blues (Vinyl, CD) now from Rough Trade - independent purveyors of great music, since 1976.