[Portrait of Billie Holiday, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., ca. Feb. 1947] (LOC)

    Gottlieb, William P., 1917-, photographer.

    [Portrait of Billie Holiday, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., ca. Feb. 1947]

    1 negative : b&w ; 4 x 5 in.

    Notes:
     Gottlieb Collection Assignment No. 268
    Reference print available in Music Division, Library of Congress.
    Purchase William P. Gottlieb
    Forms part of: William P. Gottlieb Collection (Library of Congress).
    In: The Record Changer, v. 5, no. 12 (Feb. 47, 1947), p. 7.

    Subjects:
     Holiday, Billie, 1915-1959
    Women jazz musicians--1940-1950.
    Jazz singers--1940-1950.
    Fifty-second Street (New York, N.Y.)--1940-1950.
    Downbeat

    Format: Portrait photographs--1940-1950.
    Film negatives--1940-1950.

    Rights Info: Mr. Gottlieb has dedicated these works to the public domain, but rights of privacy and publicity may apply. lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/gottlieb/gottlieb-copyrig...

    Repository: (negative) Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Washington D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
    (reference print) Library of Congress, Music Division, Washington D.C. 20540 USA, loc.gov/rr/perform/

    Part Of: William P. Gottlieb Collection (DLC) 99-401005

    General information about the Gottlieb Collection is available at lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/gottlieb/gottlieb-home.html

    Persistent URL: hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/gottlieb.04211

    Call Number: LC-GLB13- 0421

    Comments and faves

    1. ★

      Marco Ambrosi, bryna.hoang, Valentina Calosci, eddyizm, and 599 other people added this photo to their favorites.

    2. 42n81 > Anti-Inanity (29 months ago | reply)

      oh, Sterling!

    3. eddyizm (29 months ago | reply)

      fantastic!
      --
      Seen on my Flickr home page. (?)

    4. everybody in the forest is jolly (29 months ago | reply)

      SUPERB! I LOVE this Lady Day portrait!

    5. JMBower (29 months ago | reply)

      fantastic moment captured.

    6. Juanbpn. (29 months ago | reply)

      Nice view of great Holiday. Thanks and Regards.

    7. budderflyman (29 months ago | reply)

      I have seen this before. It is one of the best photos of her. There is what appears to be an American Flag in the background. I think every American should listen to a collection of Billy Holiday songs. Lady Day was truly one of the greatest female singers ever. Like so many music artists of her time, she was addicted to heroin and died at an early age.

      "Downbeat" was the premiere jazz magazine of the time. If you ever want to read about jazz as it was in those good old days, read the old Downbeat magazine articles.

    8. meisje kim (29 months ago | reply)

      i love Billie <3

    9. Dushan B. Hadnadjev [slowly back] (29 months ago | reply)

      Excellent shot!!!

      d.

    10. dubonnet (29 months ago | reply)

      an all time fav photo and songstress!! Thanks!

    11. Enoch Pratt Free Library (29 months ago | reply)

      awesome! a favorite

      --
      Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)

    12. Katie-Rose (29 months ago | reply)

      Beautiful!

    13. 1/2-pint (29 months ago | reply)

      Probably the best female singer of all time. LOVE her.

    14. Hitmanjaca (29 months ago | reply)

      Beautiful Moment!

    15. kithg (29 months ago | reply)

      Wow!

    16. PIXELMAO (29 months ago | reply)

      Hi, I'm an admin for a group called *WHAT IT'S SAY YOUR FACE* Award The Next 3 Pictures Immediately, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

    17. PristineBelle (29 months ago | reply)

      Beautiful. I can almost hear her solid powerful voice.

      Precious capture. Thanks for sharing.
      --
      Seen on blog.flickr.net (?)

    18. candymountain (29 months ago | reply)

      what an amazing picture! Thanks for sharing, indeed!

    19. Arty Smokes (deaf mute) (29 months ago | reply)

      Superb.
      --
      Seen on your photo stream. (?)

    20. dubesor (29 months ago | reply)

      love it! thanks for posting. i think cropping out the guidelines, borders, etc. would have served this shot better, but that's a minor complaint.

    21. Omri Suissa (29 months ago | reply)

      extremely great !
      Thanks for sharing

      Please check my photos here

    22. beachcomberaustralia (29 months ago | reply)

      Thanks LOC for wonderful Billie Holiday picture and all the others in this amazing series.

    23. This photo was invited and added to the *WHAT YOUR FACE SAYS* (Post 3 -Award 5) CONTEST B/W MAY group.

    24. gantert (29 months ago | reply)

      What is amazing is that it is a 4x5 portrait.
      Try aiming that upside down dim viewfinder and holding focus.

    25. MsEVP (29 months ago | reply)

      I thought I recognized her. You`ve reminded me that I`ve got a cassette tape someone gave me donkey`s years ago with the fascinating STRANGE FRUIT on it. What a voice, what a life!

    26. swanq (29 months ago | reply)

      dubesor, If you follow the Persistent URL link, hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/gottlieb.04211 ,you will find an LC display of this photo that also has a link to the cropped version of the picture that was published.

    27. Melissa Reese Etheridge (29 months ago | reply)

      So she poured out the liquid music of her voice to quench the thirst of his spirit. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

    28. kongrosian (29 months ago | reply)

      Lady sings the blues...................
      --
      Seen on your photo stream. ( ?² )

    29. sezohanim (29 months ago | reply)

      What a wonderful portrait. I am still haunted by strange fruit

    30. chezarie (29 months ago | reply)

      Magnificent woman.

    31. instant chime (29 months ago | reply)

      listening

    32. betho-08 (29 months ago | reply)

      ... Diva ...

    33. beachcomberaustralia (29 months ago | reply)

      Hear how she sounded in January 1947 just before this photo - www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqCWqm_ogmI

    34. Leif Bop (28 months ago | reply)

      Bille Holiday had an extended stay at the Downbeat Club (nothing to do with Down Beat magazine) from November mid 1946 until March mid 1947.
      ("Goings on about Town," New Yorker, November 16: has Holiday at the Downbeat. Same information in New Yorker until March 15.)

    35. beachcomberaustralia (28 months ago | reply)

      It wasn't an American Flag in the background - www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/jazz/jb_jazz_holli day_3_e.html

    36. This photo was invited and added to the Symphonie féminine. group.

    37. This photo was invited and added to the Circa group.

    38. This photo was invited and added to the Requiem for a photograph. group.

    39. grytlappar (25 months ago | reply)

      Thank you William Gottlieb!

    40. Ol'redneckbassfisherman [deleted] (24 months ago | reply)

      I was 13,going on 12,in 1947. I wish i had heard Ms Holiday then.
      I had to wait until she was dead. I'm quite sure i would have loved her,as i do now.

    41. This photo was invited and added to the Supreme Awesomeness! Post Some/Award None. group.

    42. active metabolite - very busy - sorry (20 months ago | reply)

      Restored and colourized:

      God Bless the Child

    43. charlieluck (16 months ago | reply)

      what can you say except she's the best. love her.

    44. hariprasad reddy (15 months ago | reply)

      hi

    45. Ubych (13 months ago | reply)

      golden mouth

    46. danilew (12 months ago | reply)

      Stirring.

    47. andywsx (7 months ago | reply)

      I wondered where the inspiration for this came from ....

    48. Christine Rose.., (4 months ago | reply)

      A class portrait of one of my favourite singers.

    49. This photo was invited and added to the Photofusion Film and Darkroom group.

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