Once again, you asked and we answered! This week we discuss the other winner in our guaranteed content poll- the inimitable Ella Fitzgerald!
From a rough start on the streets of Harlem, to the Apollo stage, smokey clubs,years on the road and in recording studios Ella led the world through the trends and wild ride that was the musical scene during most of the last century. So much has been written about her life, her voice, her contribution to the history of music- it was hard to pick and choose what we were going to discuss. But pick we did!
Ella Jane Fitzgerald’s beginnings were the most humble- born April 25, 1917 in Newport News,Virginia to William and Tempie Fitzgerald. Of course we talk about her parents, her move to New York, what life was like for a young girl at the time. We talk about her rough beginnings, her family and the fork in the road last minute decision that changed her life. We discuss her loves, losses and her slow steady and forever upward rise to super star status.
With husband, Ray Brown
It’s a remarkable story of a remarkable woman and at every turn we were afraid that we were sounding cliche–but we couldn’t help it: Ella Fitzgerald rocked past the conventional path that she could so easily have fallen into. She followed her dreams, always learning and always working to perfect her gifts.
There are so many times in her life that her story weaves into other topics—other people, other musicians, different styles of music, other stories of the progression of segregation, the history of New York City…the list goes on. We thought we would devote these shownotes to a collage of sorts: Ella images, sounds of the times, and some ways we can think of that might start you on a journey of discovery via the life of this woman.
Time Travel With The History Chicks
To get a clearer undestanding of the times that Ella was born into, here is a good place to start: We adore NPR
And we are very fond of PBS and Ken Burns, as well…click to learn more about the history of Jazz, and to get hooked up with Jazz a Film by Ken Burns.
You know who else we also adore (in a purely respectful way, we assure you)? The Bowery Boys. Ella’s history intertwines with several of their podcasts, and blog entries. For instance, Episode #15 Tom and Greg talk about The Apollo Theater, including a chat about the history of Harlem.
Ella got her start at the Apollo Theater. There is so much history surrounding the building- someone could make an entire podcast series about the Apollo. (Apollo Chicks? No…) Here is information on the Apollo today. Click on over and start down a really exciting path..see what happened to Ella when she did? The Apollo Theater
We need you to play this. Close your eyes, and imagine the scene at the Savoy Ballroom, and it’s just before closing time. Everyone has been dancing for hours, exhausted and exhilarated…
Just a little peek of the dancing that took place at the Savoy Ballroom ( which sadly, is no more)
Her first big hit landed her on the silver screen with Abbott and Costello in , Ride ’em Cowboy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9TehG_cqFk
This from 1961, she must have carried those Savoy Ballroom memories with her forever!
Ella and Ol’ Blue Eyes…one of many times they appeared together:
Scat isn’t for everyone, but if you want to see her scat like no other…this is from 1969..6 minutes, full-on scat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU
From 1974…We are just getting quite fan girly over here…but check this one out!
Really, we could keep embedding videos all day…but , can’t. This is from 1992, four years before her death. Oooweeee, she still had it!
We know that you like your books! If Beckett’s recommended nerdtacular tome appealed to you, here it is:
First Lady of Song: Ella Fitzgerald by, Geoffry Mark Fidelman
A little lighter reading but still an excellent biography:
Ella Fitzgerald, A complete biography by Stewart Nicholson
And for some great information in a young adult format ( no shame in reading young adult as an adult,either!)
Ella Fitzgerald: Up Close by Tanya Lee Stone
Based on all the information we gleaned for this podcast, this was one honestly kind woman. EllaFitzgerald.com will give you lots of Ella-tacular information and links- biography, pictures, discography..and a link to this, but we are going to give it to you again so you don’t have to look. The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation
Ok, you’re right! We have to end with Ella…and Count Basie! We didn’t take your advice, and we are sorry, Ella, but we had to talk about you when you are gone!
You voted and we are pleased to present the first winner of our Guaranteed Content Poll- Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, The Duchess of Devonshire!
This woman wasn’t just another pretty face under a big wig with an unusual home situation… oh, no! She was an author, a mother, a fashion trend setter, and a political powerhouse that altered the landscape of British politics at a time when women should have been seen, but not heard.
If anyone knew anything about being seen- it was Georgiana.
Born in 1757 , she was the first of three children born to the love match of John and the former Margaret Georgiana Poyntz.
Georgiana was, from the get-go, Mama’s favorite. You know us by now, we go into a lot more detail on the podcast, but young Georgiana was raised in a loving home by parents who exposed her to a wide variety of subjects. A series of the finest tutors taught Little G the usual: deportment, and languages, and writing and geography and singing…but also harp , French, Italian Latin. And the lessons that our young Lady excelled in the most: etiquette. Mama was proud. And also fairly ambitious. And did we forget to mention: wealthy. Daddy would become the 1st Earl of Spencer when Little G was just a child.
Mama and her pride and joy
This family is connected.
And what other family is connected and nearby? The Cavendishes. And their first son, William, was just about the right age for our fair, well bred, charming Georgiana! And what does he bring to the table? Well, um, his dogs? Ok, so he wasn’t as polished as our Little G, but opposites attract, right?
William Cavendish the Duke of Devonshire
She marries up, and becomes the 5th Duchess of Devonshire. He gets a beautiful, graceful bride guaranteed to bring him a male heir.
Ahem… guaranteed to bring him a male heir.
Is this thing on?
Georgiana doesn’t exactly have the easiest time getting pregnant. She partakes in some pretty wacky measures to do so with no success. (And allows us to prattle on about 18th century medicine- which we really enjoy.)
Georgiana, by Thomas Gainsborough
She does use this time to throw quite a few parties, and created an environment where politics can be played. She sets some trends in fashion. And, oh yeah, she writes a book- The Sylph which is an thinly disguised autobiographical novel with the author credit given to,” a young lady”. Four editions? Everyone knew who wrote it.
How DO you ride in a carriage with all that hair? (by Matthew Darly, courtesy British Museum)
She does become a mother…although step-mother would probably be a better description…when one of William’s former mistresses dies, leaving his daughter Charlotte. Georgiana steps up to the plate and not only takes the child into her home, but into her heart.
But she is still without a male heir of her own production. Her last medicinal attempt at conception was to go to Bath and take the waters- which meant drink or bathe in the hot mineral waters of the area. Also at Bath was a woman a woman who would be a force in their home for the next 25 years: Elizabeth “Bess” Foster.
Lady Elizabeth “Bess” Foster
To put it delicately, Georgiana, William and Bess struck up a relationship for the ages. All three of them. And that’s about all we are going to say here (but gush on and on in the podcast with a little less tact).
But let’s not focus on that, it worked for them, who are we to judge? And to talk about it in detail takes away from the rest of the life of Georgiana. (psst, listen to the podcast for more details) First off she got on the baby train…girl, girl, FINALLY a boy and heir! WOOT! And because she was on a roll, she went and had a baby from an affair with Charles Grey. We tell you all about those children, how she was as a mother, and what a political mover and shaker she was.
by Joshua Reynolds (She sounds like a pretty hands on Mama!)
Really she had smarts, charm, and charisma that she used to advance the politicians that she favored.
And she also had a gambling addiction. And a laundenum addiction. And, quite possibly an eating disorder. She lived a life as big and bold as the ginormous big hair wigs she was famous for!
But all good things come to an end, after a series of medical issues Georgiana dies at the age of 48 in 1806.
Give a listen to the podcast for more juicy details about the life of this amazing woman!
Time Travel With The History Chicks
Of course we only introduce you to her awesomeness, and give you a working knowledge of her life. But you want more, right? And where can you go for that? PLEASE check out this blog, The Duchess of Devonshires Gossip Guide to the 18th Century. First off, it’s gorgeous. Second it is jam packed with stories and art from the era of this woman. We can’t say enough good things…so, go…http://georgianaduchessofdevonshire.blogspot.com/
It was a dark and stormy night. Three friends sat around the fire taking turns reading German ghost stories…
No, really. It was. Ok, maybe that night wasn’t stormy, but it was a summer night in 1816, when a then 18 year- old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley, and the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron were sitting around a fire at Lake Geneva. It was here that the three challenged each other to write the scariest story they could, Mary’s contribution would become her first published work and a tale so creepy that it would endure to present time, and beyond: Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus.
Mary Shelley, by Richard Rothwell
In this mini-cast we take a little time to look at the life before, and after, Mary Shelley wrote her most famous book.
The story of Mary Shelley begins ten days before her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, dies.
How is that for a dramatic entrance?
Born on August 30th, 1797, she was the first and only love child of writers Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. (For the details on this woman, please give a listen to our podcast on Mary Wollstonecraft). Her mother had a young daughter from another relationship, Fanny Imlay, who was to be raised by now single dad Godwin with his own daughter- Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin…not to be confused with his wife, Mary Wollstoncraft Godwin. (Susan puts down her head and weeps…why must you people name your children the same name as you have!?)
When Mary was four, her father remarried Mary Jane Clairmont who brought two children, Charles and Claire into the home. William was a pretty involved father, and while Claire was sent off to school, Mary was pretty much educated at home. But being educated at home by an intellectual who ran in some pretty cool circles- as well as encouraging you to read all the writings of your mother-isn’t exactly a lacking education.
By now you should know that we love to get into the more, er, gossipy side of women’s lives. And Mary Shelley gave us a bit to look at. As a young teen she meets Percy Shelley. MARRIED Percy Shelley. He falls for her while studying at the feet of her father. And helping to pay his bills. At one point, Daddy says “stay away from my daughter”, but that’s not to happen.
Pretty boy-Percy Shelley
At 17, Mary runs off with Percy, taking her step-sister Claire with them.
Oh! This is a road trip for the ages! We do go into it in detail in the podcast, but by the time a penniless Percy and Mary come back to England she is pregnant, and his wife is pregnant. Harriet Shelley gives birth to a son, and Mary gives birth to a premature daughter, who dies shortly after birth.
So sad! Right before little William's death in 1819
We do tell you all about Mary’s five pregnancies, and the one child who lives to adulthood. About the death of Percy’s wife, the marriage of Mary and Percy, and the travels of the trio of Percy, Mary and Claire and their children. We chat about the creation of Frankenstein, Lord Byron, and the death of Percy.
Lord Byron...(yeah, we don't get into THAT much detail)
This may be a mini-cast but it is full of drama! What a life this woman created and lived!
After Percy’s death, Mary’s life settles down somewhat. She is a writer, but never sees success to the likes of Frankenstein- which in our opinion- makes her quite a writer indeed.
The end of Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley’s life was full of illness and living with her remaining son*sigh* Percy. She died of a brain tumor in 1851 at the age of 54.
Time Travel with The History Chicks
We admit, this was a minicast about the full life of a woman who did a lot of living in her years. Here is a great starting place to look a bit more into the life of Mary Shelley, and there are other posts about her on this site as well: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley
