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Today (April 7) marks the 100th birthday of jazz icon Billie Holiday. In honor of her centennial born day, the Philadelphia Music Alliance has announced that the late songbird will be one of the inductees of the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame this year.
“The Philadelphia Music Alliance wanted to present what we think is a ‘perfect’ birthday gift to an extraordinary vocalist, Billie Holiday, and announce her induction on her 100th birthday,” Philadelphia Music Alliance chairman Alan Rubens said in a press release (via USA Today ).
Holiday, whose real name is Elinore Harris, was born in Philadelphia General Hospital, located in West Philadelphia. Although she was primarily raised in Baltimore, the “Strange Fruit” singer has always made it a point to recognize Philly as her second home. In fact, she would often perform in the city and stay at the Douglass Hotel.
Holiday, who is affectionately called “Lady Day,” joins fellow homegrown jazz inductees like Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Grover Washington Jr., and others. The Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame is located on Broad Street between Walnut Street and Spruce Street.
The legendary jazz vocalist, who died on July 17, 1959, will be joined by a group of other inductees, which will be announced in late May. Holiday passed away due to pulmonary edema and heart failure caused by cirrhosis of the liver.
Watch Billie Holiday Perform “Strange Fruit”
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