Billie Holiday
/ˌbɪli ˈhɒlədeɪ/
/ˌbɪli ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
- (1915-59) a US singer of jazz and the blues whose popular name was 'Lady Day'. She recorded her first record in 1933 with Benny Goodman, and later sang with 'Count' Basie and Artie Shaw. Her best-known songs include The Very Thought of You and These Foolish Things. She took drugs for most of her life and died young. Her autobiography (= story of her own life), Lady Sings the Blues (1956), was made into a film (1972) with Diana Ross.