Google Marks Ella Fitzgerald’s Birthday By Giving The First Lady Of Song Her Very Own Doodle

Today’s Google logo is a tribute to Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald who was born in Newport News, Virginia on this day in 1917. After taking the stage at Apollo Theater’s amateur night in 1934, Fitzgerald went on to become one of the most famous Jazz singers in the world, winning 18 Grammy Awards and selling more than 40 million albums.

Fitzgerald performed with a number musicians throughout her career including Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Count Bassie and Frank Sinatra. Dubbed The First Lady of Song, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Ronald Reagan in 1987, given a Commander of Arts and Letters award by France, and received honorary doctorates from several universities including Yale and Dartmouth.

Ella Fitzgerald died on June 15, 1996 in Beverly Hills and was laid to rest at the Sunset Mission Mausoleum at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.