Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 2004)
te B lack Page A2 H istory M onth .W x :X. How does it feel to be among those who didn’t look the other way? CAN A M E R An awkward and shy young girl dressed in near rags and shoes that did not fit timidly walked out onto the stage. This dance at a New York City talent show would be her first public performance. Her giddy schoolmates who dared her into going on stage had no idea of what was about to happen. While watching her strange movements, the audience broke out in laughter. As he bony knees began to uncontrollably bang against one another the audience laughed even harder. Embarrassed beyond comprehension, the young girl turned to walk off the stage as quickly as possible. Her legs however were shaking so bad she could not move. Suddenly To right wrongs of the world takes strength and conviction. We offer our humble thanks to those who do. Bank of America honors Mi ’ I A J Martin Luther King, Jr. Bankof America www.bankofamerica.com Ella Fitzgerald captivates audiences with her rich and soothing voice. 1 J Providence Health System- Committed to diversity in the workplace As one of Oregon's largest private employers, Providence Health System respects and values differences in our patients and employees. We've developed programs to support diverse needs and have been recognized as one of the best places to work in the state. At Providence, we honor diversity while sharing a common goal-making a difference in your health. P r o v id e n c e | H e a lth S ystem by Ron Weber The First Lady o f Song Young black teen rises to elegant singer i February 04. 2004 the idea hit her that she should sing instead of attempting to dance. Her voice was barely audible above the roaring laughter, but soon the crowd silenced and the auditorium was filled with music that silenced the mocking audience. They looked about to see where the beautiful voice singing “The Object of My Affection” was coming from. As her voice rose, filling the auditorium with such rarely heard beauty, they realized the voice was coming from the young teenager on the stage. When she finished, not a laugh was heard. Instead, rapturous applause filled the auditorium. The same audience that came to mock, gave 16- year-old Ella Fitzgerald three encores and a first place prize. A legend had been bom. The year was 1934. Born on April 15, 19 18 in Newport News, Va., baby Ella soon lost her father to sudden medical problems. Ella’s father had been a guitar musician and a singer. Now a widow, her mother who had a gorgeous soprano voice was forced to move in with relatives in Yonkers, N.Y. With her family always en couraging her musical talent, Ella took les sons and sang at every opportunity. Less than one year after winning her first amateur talent contest, Ella won another first place. This one was at the Harlem Opera House and earned her a spot on CBS Radio with the Arthur Trace Radio Show. Suddenly, her music career appeared to end even before getting started. At 17 her mother had to sign a contract allowing her to sing on the radio. But without warning her mom died and Ella was now considered an orphan by the state of New York. Although relatives tried to take her in, state investiga tors got wind of an abusive stepfather som e where in the picture and insisted she would be better off in an orphanage. Stuck in a state-run home for unwanted children with no hope for any musical career, Ella hoped and waited. Finally her desire to sing became too strong. She escaped the orphanage and entered another contest, this one at the Apollo Theater in New York. Again winning first place, she also was given $50, a hefty sum tor an orphaned teenager in the depression years. While Ella Fitzgerald’s life had been on a serious down turn, this night would turn things around for good. Unknown to Ella, in the audi ence that night was Bardu Ali, director of the Chick Webb Band. In a short time, Webb, who was amazed with her talent at such a young age, hired her. Still a teenager, the state intervened once again. Webb and his wife quickly adopted their new sensation, ending state control for once and all. E lla ’s success never stopped grow ing throughout her long career. Along the way, her talent would be joined with Billy Holiday, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, The Ink Spots, Louis Armstrong and many others. She would win 12 Grammies and scores of enviable awards. With several “million sellers^” the list of her songs and other accomplishments could fill a book. In fact they did. A local author, J. Wilfred Johnson, has published acomplete list of all her works in, Ella Fitzgerald; An Annotated Dichotomy. From her first record. Love and Kisses, Fitzgerald’s top sellers included, A Tisket A Taskit, In To Each Life Some Rain M ust Fall, and I ’m Beginning to See the Light. ” Johnson, who has spoken to Fitzgerald many times and visited her at her home in Beverly Hills, still resides in northwest Portland. The book took him more than 10 years and during this time he spoke to more than 100 people close to Fitzgerald. His work is available in book stores and the Multnomah Public Library. Near the end of her life, the once scrawny lonely orphan who overcame so many odds to become a legendary singer would show us again how to overcome adversity. Enduring i cataract surgery, a triple heart by-pass, and thqr, loss of both her legs to diabetes, she continued to entertain her beloved audiences well into the 1990s. ,o Ella Fitzgerald, the “First Lady of Song,” left us in 1996. Although her body is gone, her music will remain with us for an eternity. Some say that her voice can still be heard on a star-lit night over New York City, accompanied by the angels above. 11 G O OD PAY AND GREAT BENEFITS We have im m ediate openings in many fields, offering paid training, full m edical/dental, 30 days paid vacation, tuition assistance and a great retirem ent plan. If you want to do something different, feel the need to give something back and have the desire for world travel, we can help you A c a rin g d if f e r e n c e y o u can f e e l ACCELERATE YOUR LIFE! Providence Portland Medical Center • Providence St. Vincent Medical Center Providence Milwaukie Hospital • Providence Newberg Hospital Providence Seaside Hospital • Providence Medford Medical Center Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital • Providence Health Plans Call us today at 1-800-646-6289 (toll-free), or e-mail us at: lptjport@cnrc.navy.mil View current employment opportunities and apply online at www.providence.org or visit our Employment Center at 1235 NE 47th Avenue, Suite 200, Portland SBLUCIENT T O P H O S P IT A L S < 9th Moil INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK ?00) SMI, ÎHN 1O0 a c c e te r llt e I
