The new doodle on Google's homepage is a celebration of singer Ella Fitzgerald's 96th birthday. Fitzgerald, who passed away in 1996, was a prolific jazz and soul singer, earning her the titles of "Queen of Jazz" and "First Lady of Song" by both her fans and her peers. Over the course of a 59 year career, Fitzgerald managed to sell 40 million records, and release over 70 albums, beginning in the 1930's.
Fitzgerald began her singing career collaborating with many popular singers and musicians, including Chick Webb, Benny Goodman, The Ink Spots, and Louis Armstrong. She released her first number one hit single in America with a reworked version of the children's nursery rhyme "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" in 1938. Her other number one hit singles were "I'm Making Believe" and "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall", both recorded with The Ink Spots in 1944. Ella Fitzgerald also recorded a version of the popular Christmas song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Louis Jordan. In total, Fitzgerald won 13 Grammys in her life, and won an Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in 1967.
Ella Fitzgerald was known the world over for her amazing singing voice, with could span three octaves. Her voice was known for have a clarity and purity of tone, and set the standard for female vocalists that lasts to this day. Unlike many divas and singers of the modern era, Fitzgerald was also noted as being incredibly shy, and stayed away from the spotlight when not performing. Instead, she let her powerful voice speak for itself, and was able to captivate audiences for decades.
Even though Ella Fitzgerald passed away over a decade ago, her legacy remains to this day in the world of pop and jazz music. Google honoring her with a doodle may not be the greatest award she has gotten, but it is a fitting tribute to an amazing women.
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