Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song

Becoming Ella Fitzgerald offers a vivid biography of jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald, revealing the artist behind the voice that redefined 20th-century music. Historian Judith Tick uncovers Fitzgerald’s challenging youth, early fame, and the racial and gender barriers she overcame. Drawing from family insights and rare press coverage, Tick highlights Fitzgerald’s transformation of vocal jazz and influence on bebop and the Great American Songbook. This biography captures the life of a groundbreaking artist who, with her unmatched vocal talent and innovation, left an indelible mark on American music.