Ella Fitzgerald photographed while performing in Chicago, 1958:

[demmiblue]

Duke Ellington to Ella Fitzgerald 1959 [1957?] (“Nobody loved you as much as I did because I had the best seat. Good luck. Love you madly”):




Via: https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC (totally worth the follow on Twitter)

[elleng]

1. Together!

[femmedem]

4. Wow! Thanks! n/t

[BeyondGeography]

2. The Greatest

[dae]

6. Sweet sounds

[frazzled]

3. Ah, Mr. Kelly's

I remember that club, on Rush Street. It was "the supernova in the local and national nightlife firmament," and many top jazz singers and comedians performed or got their start there.

In 1963, Oscar Marienthal discovered a young singer at a small New York nightclub and booked her several months before she was to appear. Oscar died suddenly at the age of 50 before that new talent, 20-year-old Barbra Streisand, made her debut at Mister Kelly’s on June 11, 1963.

Other entertainers who played the club early in their careers included Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Flip Wilson, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Shelley Berman, Nancy Wilson, Shecky Greene, Jackie Vernon, Jackie Mason, Eartha Kitt, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Barbra Streisand and Bob Newhart. Established stars, too, such as Ella Fitzgerald, the Kingston Trio and Billie Holiday headlined at the club.

Many singers recorded albums there, including Ella.







On edit: Just found a great little video about the club:

https://vimeo.com/291960261

[demmiblue]

7. Thank you for adding that bit of history!

The video isn't showing up for me, though.

[smirkymonkey]

5. Amazing! Ella is one of my all time favorites!