Ella Fitzgerald Net Worth

Ella Fitzgerald Net Worth and Career Highlights

Early Life of Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia. Raised by her unmarried parents Temperance and William, her mother later entered into a relationship with Portuguese immigrant Joseph da Silva. Fitzgerald grew up with her stepfather and half-sister Frances in Yonkers, New York. Her exceptional talent and Methodist upbringing led her to perform in various primary schools and be actively involved in the Bethany African Methodist Episcopal Church. Fitzgerald attended Benjamin Franklin High School.

At the age of 15, tragedy struck when her mother passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident. She was then raised by her stepfather and later her aunt in Harlem. During this time, Fitzgerald got into trouble and worked as a lookout at a Mafia-affiliated bordello, leading her to be placed in the Colored Orphan Asylum in the Bronx. Eventually, she was moved to the New York Training School for Girls, a state reformatory institution in Hudson.

Career Breakthroughs and Highlights

After struggling to make ends meet by singing on the streets of Harlem, Ella Fitzgerald gained recognition through an appearance at Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater in 1934. Her renditions of the songs “Judy” and “The Object of My Affection” earned her first place. This led to a week-long performance at the Harlem Opera House with the Tiny Bradshaw band, which further established her fame. Fitzgerald then joined Chick Webb’s orchestra and achieved immense success performing at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom.

In 1939, after Chick Webb’s passing, the band was renamed Ella and Her Famous Orchestra. They recorded close to 150 songs together. Ella Fitzgerald also collaborated with the Benny Goodman Orchestra and had a side project called Ella Fitzgerald and Her Savoy Eight. Additionally, she released a version of the nursery rhyme “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” in 1938, which became one of the best-selling records of the decade.

In the mid-1950s, Fitzgerald signed with Verve Records and achieved a pivotal moment in her career when she opened at Hollywood’s Mocambo nightclub. Her album “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book” became the first of eight “Song Book” sets she recorded for Verve through 1964, cementing her commercial and critical success.

Personal Life and Net Worth Over Time

In 1941, Ella Fitzgerald married Benny Kornegay, a local dockworker and convicted drug dealer, but the marriage was annulled the next year. She then married bass player Ray Brown in 1947. Together, they adopted the child of Fitzgerald’s half-sister Frances. They divorced in 1953. In 1957, it was reported that Fitzgerald was engaged to Thor Einar Larsen, a young Norwegian man, but the relationship did not last.

Throughout her career, Fitzgerald faced several health challenges due to diabetes. She suffered from respiratory problems in 1985 and congestive heart failure in 1986. In 1993, she had to have both of her legs amputated below the knee. On June 15, 1996, at the age of 79, Ella Fitzgerald passed away at her home in Beverly Hills, California, due to a stroke.

Ella Fitzgerald’s net worth at the time of her death was estimated to be $10 million. Her wealth primarily came from her successful music career, numerous Grammy Awards, and collaborations with renowned artists such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Furthermore, her contributions extended beyond music, as she established the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, which supports education, basic care needs for the disadvantaged, and medical research.

In conclusion, Ella Fitzgerald was an iconic jazz singer who left a profound legacy in American music and culture. Despite personal challenges and health complications, she achieved tremendous success and garnered numerous accolades throughout her career. Ella Fitzgerald’s net worth reflected her immense talent and contributions to the world of music, and her charitable foundation continues to carry on her philanthropic efforts.

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