Billie Holiday, one of the most influential jazz singers of all time, passed away today at the age of 44. Born as Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia on April 7, 1915, Billie’s career spanned three decades, making her one of the most enduring female singers in popular music. Her successes included her 1939 breakthrough song “Strange Fruit,” based on a chilling poem about lynching in the American South. Her recordings of “God Bless the Child” and “Don’t Explain” earned her the titles of Best Female Singer of 1940 and Best Pop Female Vocal Performance of 1945, respectively. Additionally, she won seven Grammy Hall of Fame Awards, the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album in 1985. Billie’s impact on jazz and popular music can not be overstated. Her gravelly style of singing combined with a mastery of vocal techniques worked with everything from the uptempo swing of her early career to the deeply lyrical ballads of her later years. She was seen as a magnetic entertainer with a distinctive sound and style, often referred to as the "Lady Day" of jazz. Her influence reached far from the music world; her hit “Strange Fruit” was among the first pop songs to convey political and social awareness of the civil rights movement in the United States. As a consequence, Billie was recognized with many awards, as an icon of the civil rights movement, and as an inspiration for many other singers. Her many fans are saddened by her sudden passing. The legacy and influence of Billie Holiday will live on forever.