Ella Fitzgerald: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Ella Fitzgerald arrived in Harlem as a teenage amateur-night winner and left as the voice that defined American song, from Chick Webb's Savoy bandstand to Norman Granz's Verve songbooks. This mix traces the radio singers she copied as a girl, the scat eccentrics who licensed her horn-like improvising, and the generations of vocalists who still study her diction.

The Kynda mix for Ella Fitzgerald

• Key Influence · The Boswell Sisters Collection by The Boswell Sisters (1931). Fitzgerald repeatedly named Connee Boswell as the singer she first imitated, hearing the New Orleans trio's records as a girl in Yonkers and copying Boswell's elastic phrasing and instrumental approach to melody. The Boswells' close-harmony arrangements bent tempo and rewrote tunes as jazz, which is precisely what Ella would do to standards two decades later. Her early Decca vocals carry the Boswell bounce almost undisguised.
• Influencia Obscura · Ja-Da by The Spirits of Rhythm (1933). Leo Watson, the Spirits of Rhythm's unhinged vocalist, scatted in streams of nonsense syllables and trombone imitations on 52nd Street while Ella was coming up at the Savoy, and he is the key under-documented bridge between Armstrong's novelty scat and the bop-syllable vocalizing Fitzgerald perfected on "Flying Home" and "How High the Moon." Watson died obscure in 1950; his vocabulary survived in her.
• Local Roots · Stompin' at the Savoy by Benny Goodman (1936). The tune is named for the Harlem ballroom that was Fitzgerald's home base with Chick Webb, where Webb's orchestra won battle-of-the-bands contests against visiting white outfits and Lindy Hoppers set the tempo. Goodman's hit version carried Harlem's house anthem to a national white audience, and Fitzgerald herself recorded a handful of sides under Goodman's name in 1936, briefly crossing the color line of the swing business.
• Beyond the Medium · Anything Goes by Cole Porter (1934). Fitzgerald's career pivoted in 1956 when Norman Granz built the Verve songbook series around Broadway and Hollywood composers, beginning with Porter. Porter's wit depended on the lyric being heard, and her diction made her the ideal interpreter; the project reframed show tunes written for the stage as a permanent American art-song repertoire, and reframed Ella from swing-band scatter to definitive interpreter of composers.
• Peer · Lady in Satin by Billie Holiday (1958). Holiday and Fitzgerald were the twin poles of 1930s–50s jazz singing, both products of the Harlem club world, often framed as rivals by critics though they shared bills and admirers. Where Ella offered buoyancy and pitch perfection, Holiday offered damage and rhythmic daring; this late Ray Ellis session, recorded with her voice in ruins, defines the alternative path a jazz singer of that generation could take.
• From the Canon · Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book by Ella Fitzgerald (1956). The first Verve songbook, arranged by Buddy Bregman, remade both Fitzgerald's career and the status of American popular song. Released as Granz launched Verve essentially as a vehicle for her, its restraint and clarity proved a jazz singer could serve a composer's catalogue without novelty or gimmick, and it established the template for seven further songbooks that became the canon of twentieth-century song interpretation.
• Key Collaborator · Spinnin' the Webb by Chick Webb (1937). Webb, the hunchbacked drummer who ruled the Savoy, hired Fitzgerald in 1935 after Charles Linton pushed for her, gave her a home and professional discipline, and shared her first hits. When he died in 1939 she fronted the band as Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra for three years. His drumming — explosive, precise, built for dancers — is the rhythmic bed her sense of time was formed on.
• Legacy · Dear Ella by Dee Dee Bridgewater (1997). Bridgewater recorded this Grammy-winning tribute the year after Fitzgerald's death, revisiting her repertoire with Benny Golson, Slide Hampton and Kenny Barron, and has spoken of Fitzgerald as a foundational model for her own scat-driven, audience-courting stagecraft. It is the clearest example of a major modern jazz singer organizing an entire album around what she inherited from Lady Ella.

What influenced Ella Fitzgerald

• Dizzy Gillespie by Dizzy Gillespie (1917). Her work with Gillespie's band influenced Fitzgerald's vocal style. “The advent of bebop led to new developments in Fitzgerald's vocal style, influenced by her work with Dizzy Gillespie 's big band.” (Wikipedia)
• The Boswell Sisters. Fitzgerald listened to the Boswell Sisters and loved their lead singer. (also via The Boswell Sisters Collection) “Fitzgerald listened to jazz recordings by Louis Armstrong , Bing Crosby , and The Boswell Sisters . She loved the Boswell Sisters' lead singer Connee Boswell” (Wikipedia)
• Connee Boswell. Fitzgerald said she tried to sound like Boswell. “She loved the Boswell Sisters' lead singer Connee Boswell , later saying: "My mother brought home one of her records, and I fell in love with it...I tried so hard to sound just like her."” (Wikipedia)
• You Better Go Now by Billie Holiday. Fitzgerald singles out this Holiday recording as her favorite. “Ella Fitzgerald named "You Better Go Now" her favorite recording of Holiday's.” (Wikipedia)
• The Boswell Sisters Collection by The Boswell Sisters (1931). The Boswell Sisters Collection (The Boswell Sisters) — titan for Ella Fitzgerald “Fitzgerald listened to jazz recordings by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and The Boswell Sisters.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Hot Fives and Sevens by Louis Armstrong (1927). Hot Fives and Sevens (Louis Armstrong) — titan for Ella Fitzgerald “Outside her solo career, Fitzgerald created music with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Anything Goes by Cole Porter. Anything Goes (Cole Porter) — culture for Ella Fitzgerald “felt that I should do other things, so he produced Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book with me.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Earl Snakehips Tucker. Fitzgerald admired the dancer Earl Snakehips Tucker. “Starting in third grade, Fitzgerald loved dancing and admired Earl Snakehips Tucker . She performed for her peers on the way to school and at lunchtime.” (Wikipedia)
• Bing Crosby: The Early Years by Bing Crosby (1931). Bing Crosby: The Early Years (Bing Crosby) — titan for Ella Fitzgerald “Fitzgerald listened to jazz recordings by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and The Boswell Sisters.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) by Duke Ellington (1932). It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (Duke Ellington) — ghost for Ella Fitzgerald “Outside her solo career, Fitzgerald created music with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin. Porgy and Bess (George Gershwin) — culture for Ella Fitzgerald (wikidata.org)
• Pal Joey by Richard Rodgers (1940). Pal Joey (Richard Rodgers) — culture for Ella Fitzgerald (wikidata.org)
• Ja-Da by The Spirits of Rhythm (1933). Ja-Da (The Spirits of Rhythm) — ghost for Ella Fitzgerald

Peers and kindred spirits

• Louis Armstrong. Armstrong and Fitzgerald made three records together. (also via Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, Hot Fives and Sevens) “Teaming up with Bob Haggart’s orchestra, Ella and Louis duetted on the single “You Won’t Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart),”” (uDiscover Music)
• Bing Crosby. The article names Fitzgerald among Crosby’s jazz collaborators. (also via Bing Crosby: The Early Years) “We are beyond excited to share these duets featuring Dad and the incredible Ella Fitzgerald” (Primary Wave Music)
• Count Basie. Count Basie was among Fitzgerald's prominent collaborators. (also via One O'Clock Jump) “Quincy had arranged Basie’s 1963 album with Ella Fitzgerald ( Ella and Basie! ) and Frank Sinatra’s second album with Basie (1964’s It Might As Well Be Swing )” (SammyDavisJr.info)
• Sarah Vaughan. Vaughan opened a performance for Fitzgerald. (also via Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book, Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown) “In 1989, Quincy Jones' album Back on the Block included Vaughan in a brief scatting duet with Ella Fitzgerald. This was her final studio recording.” (Wikipedia)
• Duke Ellington (1899). Ella Fitzgerald recorded a songbook of Ellington compositions. (also via It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)) “Ella Fitzgerald record her Duke Ellington Songbook (on Verve ) with Ellington and his orchestra” (Wikipedia)
• Billie Holiday (1915). A Tisket, A Tasket (Ella Fitzgerald) — peer for Billie Holiday (via A Tisket, A Tasket, You Better Go Now, Lady in Satin) “Holiday found herself in direct competition with the popular singer Ella Fitzgerald.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Frank Sinatra (1915). Sinatra performed concerts with Ella Fitzgerald. (also via Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book) “Sinatra performed in concerts in New York with Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald , and at the London Palladium with Basie and Sarah Vaughan” (Wikipedia)
• Chick Webb. Fitzgerald performed with Chick Webb's orchestra. (also via Spinnin' the Webb) “Fitzgerald found stability in musical success with the Chick Webb Orchestra, performing across the country but most often associated with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem .” (Wikipedia)
• Benny Goodman. Fitzgerald performed and recorded with Goodman's orchestra. (also via Stompin' at the Savoy) “In addition to her work with Webb, Fitzgerald performed and recorded with the Benny Goodman Orchestra.” (Wikipedia)
• Joe Pass. Joe Pass was among Fitzgerald's prominent collaborators. (also via Virtuoso) “Fitzgerald's most famous collaborations were with the vocal quartet Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots , trumpeter Louis Armstrong , the guitarist Joe Pass , and the bandleaders Count Basie and Duke Ellington .” (Wikipedia)
• Antônio Carlos Jobim by Antônio Carlos Jobim. Fitzgerald featured Jobim's songs on Ella Abraça Jobim. “American jazz singers Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra prominently featured Jobim's songs on their albums Ella Abraça Jobim (1981) and Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim (1967), respectively.” (Wikipedia)
• Norman Grantz. Whitehead credits producer Norman Grantz's approach with especially benefiting Ella Fitzgerald's recordings. “It's hard to think of anyone except Ella Fitzgerald who was better served by Grantz's favorite tacts” (Fresh Air (NPR))
• Stompin' at the Savoy by Benny Goodman (1936). Stompin' at the Savoy (Benny Goodman) — geography for Ella Fitzgerald “In addition to her work with Webb, Fitzgerald performed and recorded with the Benny Goodman Orchestra.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• One O'Clock Jump by Count Basie (1937). One O'Clock Jump (Count Basie) — geography for Ella Fitzgerald “== Collaborations == Fitzgerald's most famous collaborations were with the vocal quartet Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots, trumpeter Louis Armstrong, the guitarist Joe Pass, and the bandleaders Count Basie and Duke Ellington.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Lady in Satin by Billie Holiday. Lady in Satin (Billie Holiday) — peer for Ella Fitzgerald “Holiday found herself in direct competition with the popular singer Ella Fitzgerald.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Anita Sings the Most by Anita O'Day (1957). Anita Sings the Most (Anita O'Day) — peer for Ella Fitzgerald “=== 1965–1979: Professional struggles and career relaunch === O'Day felt overshadowed by Verve's more successful jazz artist, Ella Fitzgerald, and asked Granz for a release from her recording contract.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Spinnin' the Webb by Chick Webb (1937). Spinnin' the Webb (Chick Webb) — collaborator for Ella Fitzgerald “After a tumultuous adolescence, Fitzgerald found stability in musical success with the Chick Webb Orchestra, performing across the country but most often associated with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Virtuoso by Joe Pass (1973). Virtuoso (Joe Pass) — collaborator for Ella Fitzgerald “Ella in London recorded live in 1974 with pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bobby Durham, was considered by many to be some of her best work.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Three Keys. Fitzgerald worked as lead singer with The Three Keys. “In 1942, with increasing dissent and money concerns in the band, Fitzgerald started to work as lead singer with The Three Keys” (Wikipedia)
• Bill Kenny. Fitzgerald had hits with Bill Kenny and the Ink Spots. “While working for Decca Records , Fitzgerald had hits with Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots , [ 26 ] Louis Jordan , [ 27 ] and the Delta Rhythm Boys .” (Wikipedia)
• Louis Jordan. Fitzgerald had hits with Louis Jordan. “While working for Decca Records , Fitzgerald had hits with Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots , [ 26 ] Louis Jordan , [ 27 ] and the Delta Rhythm Boys .” (Wikipedia)
• The Delta Rhythm Boys. Fitzgerald had hits with the Delta Rhythm Boys. “While working for Decca Records , Fitzgerald had hits with Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots , [ 26 ] Louis Jordan , [ 27 ] and the Delta Rhythm Boys .” (Wikipedia)
• The Ink Spots. Fitzgerald created music with the Ink Spots. “Outside her solo career, Fitzgerald created music with Louis Armstrong , Duke Ellington , and The Ink Spots .” (Wikipedia)
• Get Ready by Smokey Robinson. Fitzgerald covered Smokey Robinson's “Get Ready.” “During this period, Fitzgerald had her last US chart single with a cover of Smokey Robinson 's " Get Ready ", previously a hit for the Temptations” (Wikipedia)
• Karen Carpenter. Fitzgerald performed a televised duet with Carpenter. “In 1980, she performed a medley of standards in a duet with Karen Carpenter on the Carpenters' television special Music, Music, Music .” (Wikipedia)
• Joan Sutherland (1926). Fitzgerald performed “Three Little Maids” alongside Sutherland. “Perhaps her most unusual and intriguing performance was of the "Three Little Maids" song from Gilbert and Sullivan 's comic operetta The Mikado alongside Joan Sutherland and Dinah Shore” (Wikipedia)
• Dinah Shore. Fitzgerald performed “Three Little Maids” alongside Shore. “Perhaps her most unusual and intriguing performance was of the "Three Little Maids" song from Gilbert and Sullivan 's comic operetta The Mikado alongside Joan Sutherland and Dinah Shore” (Wikipedia)
• Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. Fitzgerald established the named charitable foundation. “In 1993, Fitzgerald established the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation focusing on charitable grants for four major categories” (Wikipedia)
• Norman Granz. Fitzgerald credited Granz with producing the album. (via Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book) “Norman ... felt that I should do other things, so he produced Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book with me. It was a turning point in my life.” (Wikipedia)
• Further Definition by Benny Carter (1961). Further Definition (Benny Carter) — geography for Ella Fitzgerald “During the 1950s and '60s, he wrote arrangements for vocalists such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Sarah Vaughan.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown by Sarah Vaughan (1954). Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown (Sarah Vaughan) — peer for Ella Fitzgerald “Fitzgerald also made a one-off appearance alongside Sarah Vaughan and Pearl Bailey on a 1979 television special honoring Bailey.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Night Train by Oscar Peterson (1963). Night Train (Oscar Peterson) — collaborator for Ella Fitzgerald “The trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, the guitarist Herb Ellis, and the pianists Tommy Flanagan, Oscar Peterson, Lou Levy, Paul Smith, Jimmy Rowles, and Ellis Larkins all worked with Fitzgerald mostly in live, small group sett…” (en.wikipedia.org)

Who Ella Fitzgerald influenced

• Marilyn and Ella. Bonnie Greer's play dramatizes Fitzgerald. “Playing Macambo allowed Ella to go to another step. And I just thought what a beautiful story - it made me cry.” (BBC News)
• Steve Reich by Steve Reich. Fitzgerald is identified as an early influence on Reich’s work. “When I was a kid, the two singers that impressed me most were Ella Fitzgerald and Alfred Deller.” (American Mavericks)
• SZA by SZA. SZA identifies Fitzgerald as a vocal influence. (also via Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook) “SZA listens to Ella Fitzgerald for vocal influence [ 197 ] and has said that Lauryn Hill is one of her personal influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Dear Ella by Dee Dee Bridgewater (1997). Dear Ella (Dee Dee Bridgewater) — legacy for Ella Fitzgerald “Bridgewater's album Dear Ella (1997) featured many musicians that were closely associated with Fitzgerald during her career, including the pianist Lou Levy” (Wikipedia)
• For Ella by Patti Austin (2002). For Ella (Patti Austin) — legacy for Ella Fitzgerald “Austin's album, For Ella (2002) features 11 songs most immediately associated with Fitzgerald, and a twelfth song, "Hearing Ella Sing" is Austin's tribute to Fitzgerald.” (Wikipedia)
• Ella, elle l'a. Michel Berger wrote “Ella, elle l'a” as a tribute to Fitzgerald. “Composé par Michel Berger, Ella, elle l’a rend hommage à une femme et à une musique qui ont bouleversé France Gall.” (France Gall Collection)
• Kali Uchis (1994). Uchis cited Ella Fitzgerald as a musical inspiration. “she draws musical inspiration from Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday” (Wikipedia)
• Dorothy Duval. Notes Dorothy Duval performing an impression styled on Ella Fitzgerald. “do her La Fitzgerald impression on HOW HIGH THE MOON—A HIT!” (California Eagle (Los Angeles, Calif.))
• Tony Bennett (1926). Bennett cites Ella Fitzgerald among singers who taught him vocal styling. “Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae, all wonderful stylists and do great things with intimate singing” (Fresh Air Archive (NPR))
• To Ella with Love. Callaway recorded “To Ella with Love” as a tribute to Fitzgerald. “Ann Hampton Callaway , Dee Dee Bridgewater , and Patti Austin have all recorded albums in tribute to Fitzgerald. Callaway's album To Ella with Love (1996) features 14 jazz standards made popular by Fitzgerald” (Wikipedia)
• To Ella. Odetta dedicated her album “To Ella” to Fitzgerald. “Folk singer Odetta 's album To Ella (1998) is dedicated to Fitzgerald, but features no songs associated with her.” (Wikipedia)
• Linda Ronstadt (1946). Ronstadt names Fitzgerald as a singer to whom other singers owe respect. “She has said that "all girl singers" eventually "have to curtsy to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday ".” (Wikipedia)
• For One to Love by Cécile McLorin Salvant (2015). For One to Love (Cécile McLorin Salvant) — legacy for Ella Fitzgerald (musicbrainz.org)
• Rosemary Clooney (1928). Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (Ella Fitzgerald) — titan for Rosemary Clooney (via Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book) (musicbrainz.org)