1. Billie HolidayThe Lady Sings (Volume 2)
My mam was a big jazzer. Her and dad would have records playing in the house all the time. Billie Holiday’s voice struck me very young – she was such a passionate singer, when the idea of passion really meant something. You’d die along with her when she sings the blues.
This had been part of my family’s life from 1963, before I was even born. It’s funny how people can’t imagine folk singers liking jazz like this. But the blues and traditional song have the same roots, and they’re so much about emotion. Billie’s voice is the ultimate example of that. I still go to her music, all these years on. My melodies gravitate towards blues chords, the structures, for some reason. They always have.
I didn’t know about her life until much later, but it didn’t matter – you could hear it in her anyway. She meant it and you knew it. You could jump into her world and join her.
