Holiday, Billie. (1915-1959)
Signed Photograph
Early-1950's photograph of the legendary jazz singer, boldly signed "Best always, Billie Holiday" in white ink at the left. Billie is shown with her trademark gardenia, sitting at a table and smiling with a man whose arm is around her shoulders—apparently her one-time husband and manager John Levy. Tape remnants of to left edge and minor loss, some light creasing, slight spotting to verso; overall in very good condition. 8 x 10 inches.Revered as one of the greatest and most individual vocalists in the history of blues and jazz, she died from cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 44. Signed photographs of her are very scarce.
John Levy, co-owner of the Club Ebony, helped Holiday to get her nightclub performer's license in exchange for performing at his club beginning in 1948. Before long, he was her husband and manager, although he was by all accounts physically and mentally abusive. He was jailed in 1954 for running an elaborate illegal racetrack betting scheme out of a Long Island house which had belonged to Holiday. (He is not to be confused with the African-American jazz bassist and manager John Levy, who also worked with Holiday.)
From the collection of Nat Singerman, a professional photographer and co-owner of Character Arts Photo Studio in Cleveland, Ohio during the 1940's and 1950's. During this period he met and befriended many jazz legends who performed at clubs in and around Cleveland and Chicago. He took many photographs of performances as well as numerous candid shots taken backstage. He also hosted jam sessions and dinners at his studio where other images from the archive were shot. He collected signatures from many of his jazz musician friends, always asking them to sign in white ink on the prints he made of their pictures. (15047)
Signed Photograph Jazz