Fitzgerald, Ella

Ella Fitzgerald (1917 - 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Jazz" or "Lady Ella". She excelled in purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation and improvisational skills, especially in scat singing. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has worked with nearly every big figure in world jazz, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Benny Goodman.