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The world famous Apollo Theater has honored jazz icon Billie Holiday with a star on the theater’s Walk of Fame in honor of her 100th birthday. Holiday performed at the Apollo when it first opened in 1934 and many times after that ddate. Mac King of MyFoxNY.com reports:
“Apollo Executive Producer Mikki Shepard called Lady Day an ‘Apollo Legend.’ And Apollo legends, Shepard said, earn plaques bearing their name on the Apollo Walk of Fame.”
April 7th marked the legendary jazz vocalist’s 100 birthday. Holiday’s hit songs include “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child That Got Its Own,” “Lady Sings the Blues,” “Ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do,” and “Sugar.”
Holiday will join the likes of music greats Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Celia Cruz, Louis Armstrong, Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin on the Apollo Walk of Fame.
Holiday’s award was presented by jazz songstress Cassandra Wilson, who also performed at the induction event. Apollo president and CEO Jonelle Procope joined Wilson to present the award, which was accepted on the late singer’s behalf by Steven Salm, one of the managing partners of the Bicycle Music Company, which manages Holiday’s estate.
Holiday was born on April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia, PA. Holiday’s 100th birthday has been celebrated worldwide.
Read more at Fox 5 News or Jazz Times.
