Which jazz singer was widely known by the nickname “Lady Day”?

Billie Holiday was widely known by the nickname “Lady Day.” The name was given to her by tenor saxophonist Lester Young, one of her closest musical collaborators. Young was known as “Pres,” short for President, while he called Holiday “Lady Day.”

Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia in 1915 and became one of the most influential jazz singers of the twentieth century. Her phrasing, timing, and emotionally direct delivery made each lyric sound personal, even when she was performing a familiar standard. She worked with major musicians including Count Basie and Artie Shaw, breaking important racial barriers as a touring vocalist.

“Lady Day” is sometimes confused with Holiday’s stage identity or birth name, but it was a nickname rather than a formal name. Her other enduring association is “Strange Fruit,” her powerful 1939 recording about racial violence. Holiday died in New York City in 1959, aged 44, but her vocal style continues to influence jazz, blues, and popular singers.