To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. She excited me with just three notes, drummer Roy Harte tells Kuehl. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. She did not see [Billie Holiday] as the victim, which is the way she had been portrayed.. Those now-deceased jazz voices include Count Basie, Charles Mingus, John Hammond, Jo Jones and Sylvia Syms. } Become a member of WLIW ($5 monthly or $60 annually) and get access to WLIW Passport as our thanks for your support. The years with Teddy Wilson that brought her to fame are barely discussed. [3] The interviews were a major source for the text in Robert O'Meally's book of photographs Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday (1991)[12] and around the same were used for the script for a Masters of American Music series documentary of the same name. Her drug problems led to her multiple arrests at the height of her fame. They made her public enemy number one and destroyed her life in a lot of ways, says Smith. Police deemed it suicide, Kuehl having supposedly jumped from her hotel room, although there was no proof of this. "What was extraordinary was it felt like an archaeological journey," he says, "because it felt like we were excavating voices lost to the past." It is a raw, unsanitised character study, in which Holiday is both combative and vulnerable, coy and revolutionary: a fiery, foul-mouthed thrill-seeker who never sacrificed her integrity. "Billie documentary review an oral history of Billie Holiday", "Singer, activist, sex machine, addict: the troubled brilliance of Billie Holiday", "Billie is a fanatical yet fascinating portrait of an immortal talent", "Billie a powerful documentary about the life of the singer", "Documentary Billie squanders its incendiary premise review", "Biography covers range of a vocalist (Published 2005)", "Billie review a double tragedy of destruction and obsession", "One Scats, the Other Doesn't (Published 1994)", "Observer review: With Billie by Julia Blackburn", "Billie review a truer, historical spin on the great Billie Holiday", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Linda_Lipnack_Kuehl&oldid=1111802271, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 23 September 2022, at 00:47. One of most provocative moments in the documentary is Kuehl speaking with Jones, a jazz drummer who toured the country with Holiday when they were both in Basie's band. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Her mother Sadie transported her to New York City to be a prostitute at age 13. In his estimation, Holiday was a psychopath strictly in the sense that she was ruled by impulse. if ('' == 'left') } She knew her place. Billie Holiday, Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins in The Sound of Jazz.. This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize Wikipedia's articles about people. Holidays birth name was Eleanora Fagan, and she was born to teenage parents in Philadelphia on April 7, 1915. Facebook Email or phone Contact Us She only knows how to be her., The testimonials are riotous. var readyStateOverflowInterval; jQuery(wrapper).find('a').removeAttr('href'); It seems amazing that most writers have speculated on the reason Billie Holiday left both the Basie Band and the Shaw Band without getting the testimony of Basie and Shaw themselves. "You do start to wonder," he says, "if she was maybe doing a lot more than just uncovering Billie's life, but also the political forces that wanted to silence her.". Although Luftman couldnt be sure if Basie and her sister had a sexual affair, she thinks those threats might have had something to do with Kuehls death. Her death was ruled a suicide. var captainformDomReady = captainformDomReady || function(e){var t=!1,n=function(){document.addEventListener? In 1971, journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive biography of Billie Holiday. Never!. For some eight years in the 1970s, Kuehl interviewed everyone she could find who had a personal association with Holiday musicians, managers, childhood friends, lovers and FBI agents among them. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. To find your favorite venue check here. Though Kuehl never met Holiday, her passion for the gardenia-wearing singers music led to eight years of interviews during the 1970s. Billie premiered on December 4 and is available for streaming through Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, iTunes, or Vudu. Trending. She spoke to Holidays friends, and to those who had been there for the most transformative chapters of her life. Detractors from the film will likely say there is too much emphasis on Linda Kuehl. The government went after her Billie Holiday. And, as I was walking in the door, she was walking out the door with a chick. "You don't know anything about it because you never had to subjugate yourself to it. Get a load of the critics, the people who judge our music. 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10019, WNET is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Culture Mix Survey }, 10); Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. The boys at least could go out in the woods, Jones tells Kuehl. That work was never completed; Kuehl died in 1978, in what officials deemed a suicide. Care about whats happening in Bay Area arts? ("elementType"in e))return!1;var n=null;if(n=e.following?e.following.parentElement:e.inside?e.inside:e.replacing?e.replacing.parentElement:"script"==e.elementType?document.head:document.body,null==n)return!1;var l=document.createElement(e.elementType);delete e.elementType,l=jQuery.extend(l,e),e.replacing?n.replaceChild(l,e.replacing):n.appendChild(l)}; var popupParams = { type: "text/javascript", jQuery(wrapper).css('top', jQuery(window).height() * 0.4 + wrapper.width() + wrapper.css('padding').replace('px', '') * 2); captainform_create_form_popup(popupParams); Its the only way I can describe it. Then, in the late 1960s journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive biography of Billie. Holiday would fight back: She hit him over the head with a Coke bottle or something and kinda laid his head open, and they both went to the hospital, says trombonist Melba Liston of one such episode. Before her mysterious death in 1978, Lipnack Kuehl had taped over 200 hours of interviews. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Biography submission guide. Her death was ruled a suicide. And I was very happy that the filmmakers gave him as much space as they did.. But these men squeezed the life out of her, chipping away at her confidence, physically and mentally beating her down. His new documentary, Billie (out Dec. 4 on VOD and in select theaters),is about both Holiday as told through the voices of people who knew her and Kuehl's obsession with crafting her biography. ", "I found his passion, his truth-telling, all of his wisdom his honesty, his courageI found him so compelling," Griffin says. Menu. The description of Holiday as fast would no longer be an appropriate description of a prepubescent girl who had been raped at age 10 and sent to reform school because of it. Holidays light brown skin contrasts dramaticallywith her dark dresses, and smooth-straightened glossy dark hair and the white gardenias (or lily or orchid.) She looked like a panther. Before her death in 1978, Linda Lipnack Kuehl spent eight years trying to write the definitive biography of Billie Holiday.Courtesy of the Kuehl family She excited me with just three notes, drummer Roy Harte tells Kuehl. } Earl Zaiding, who was Holidays lawyer, calls McKay a pathological liar.. In 1971, she began plans for a biography: Holiday had died aged 44 in 1959 and, 11 years on, Kuehl wanted to speak to those who were there throughout her life. Through Kuehls interviews we hear first-hand about Holidays awful husbands and boyfriends, a rogues gallery of exploiters and abusers, men who would knock her out in the street. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. She had also recorded her most important song, Strange Fruit a battle cry against Americas vicious history of lynching, sat right at the dawn of the civil rights movement. Some of her work was used in subsequent published biographies, but this movies director, James Erskine, acquired the rights to her entire collection, and Billie is the first project he derived from it. Sylvia Syms, a singer and longtime friend of Holidays, comments on Holidays drug addiction: She really dug being high, but I never saw anyone with such a capacity., Its mentioned several times in the documentary that Holidays well-known drug problem and the controversy over Strange Fruit led to a conspiracy to bring her down, with the FBI involved. Meanwhile, Basie doesnt offer much insight about Holiday in his interview commentary, because he claims he didnt really know what was going on when she was in his band. His handling of Keuhls interviews is better; whats said on the tapes often has an uncomfortable kick. "She looked like a panther. For the Bureau of Narcotics., For Erskine, Kuehls tireless efforts to uncover the truth about Holiday lead to all kinds of revelations. WebTalk:Linda Lipnack Kuehl. Release Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. var captainformThemeStyle = {}; This documentary offers viewers the rare opportunity to see Billie Holiday through the eyes of those who knew her best. WebBiography. captainformCustomVars['772605'] = ''; WebLinda Lipnack Kuehl. Facebook Email or phone This snapshot of Linda Lipnack's life was captured by the 1940 U.S. Census. captainForm772605PreloadInterval642e65b47443f = setInterval(function(){ var wrapper = jQuery('#captainformForm772606EmbedPopup642e65b474235'); captainformDomReady(function() { It begins by talking not of Billie Holiday but of Linda Lipnack Kuehl, an arts journalist who in 1971 embarked on a biography of the singer Holiday. Kuehl was twice-divorced with no children, while Basie was married with children. Sadly, it all seems relevant. [6] In 1971, she began plans for a biography of Holiday, who had died aged 44 in 1959. Strange Fruit was banned from radio airplay in certain areas, and many venues forbid Holiday from performing the song. Then, before she could finish her biography, Kuehl died: In 1978, her body was found on a Washington, D.C. street. Jones questions whether Kuehl, a white woman, is capable of understanding the racism they faced. We're also reminded that when Holiday sang "Strange Fruit," she was "fighting inequality before Martin Luther King, Jr," as Mingus puts it. Holidays eyes plead, her lips sneer and her single eyebrow rises suggestively and reproachfully. Mingus tells Kuehl, "That might be why the cops were against her. Thats why shes Billie Holiday she was a fighter. } Billie Holiday is the subject of the documentary, and theres expected archival footage of her in her film. Kuehl is heard in the interview going back and forth with Jones and Hammond to get their reactions to these conflicting allegations. captainForm772605PreloadInterval642e65b474e67 = setInterval(function(){ Her archive passed to a private collector and was later used in other writers' biographies of Holiday. "She excited me with just three notes," drummer Roy Harte tells Kuehl. }, 10); We're also reminded that when Holiday sang "Strange Fruit," she was "fighting inequality before Martin Luther King, Jr," as Mingus puts it. We dont call this entertainment. Jazz musician Charles Mingus says Strange Fruit was very impactful because it shows that Holiday was fighting for equality before Martin Luther King. When she was released from jail at age 14, she left prostitution for good and set her sights on singing for a living. At one point, she began to receive strange, threatening calls. WebView more results from the 1940 Census. "You certainly get the sense that the more interviews Linda did, the closer she did get to this sort of underground, seedy world," he says. She was a highly talented and unique star, but she also complicated and deeply troubled. captainForm772606PreloadInterval642e65b474235 = setInterval(function(){ var wrapper = jQuery('#captainformForm772605EmbedPopup642e65b474e67'); WebIn 1971, journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive biography of Billie Holiday. Kuehl left behind a trove of notes, transcripts and some 200 hours of interviews on cassette tapes mostly in shoeboxes, some labeled, some not. Coy revolutionary Holiday and collaborators, 1939. Shed go in and sing! In the film, Barney Josephson, the owner of the non-segregated club Caf Society, where she first performed it, details how some white people, one party after another, would file out of the place as she did so. Erskine describes Kuehl as a brilliant interviewer who tracked down everybody from various stages of Holidays life. Culture Audience:Billie will appeal primarily to people who are interested in a raw and authentic look at Holidays life, as told by people who knew her best. Kuehl's parents were Sol and Ida Lipnack and she had a sister, Myra Luftman.[1]. Greenwich Entertainment released Billie in select U.S. cinemas, on digital and VOD on December 4, 2020. var captainformCustomVars = {}; Her death was ruled a suicide. Memry Midgett, an Oakland pianist who played with Holiday in the 1950s and remained close with her, said Holiday confided that she was worried about the sins of her youth and Gods forgiveness. Intending to write a biography of Billie Holiday, she interviewed friends, fellow performers, and key figures in Holiday's life, but died before its completion. var append_element = append_element || function(e){if(void 0==e)return!1;if(! The film highlights a review that scathingly derides Billie for being heavy reminding us that draconian female standards of beauty have been around for a long time. Release Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Then, before she could finish her biography, Kuehl died: In 1978, her body was found on a Washington, D.C. street. The journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl worked for years on a Billie Holiday biography before Kuehls sudden death in 1978. textContent: 'var frmRef=""; try { frmRef=window.top.location.href; } catch(err) {}; var captainform_servicedomain="app.captainform.com";var cfJsHost = "https://";', Did Kuehl jump, or was she pushed? Be the first to contribute! Kuehl died in what was deemed a suicide from a hotel balcony in 79, but family members believe it might have been murder and even related to the Holiday book shed worked on for years. formId: '772606' There are great archival photos of East Baltimore and of the reform school and the jail she was sent to. } Movies. His new documentary, Billie (out Dec. 4 on VOD and in select theaters), is about both Holiday as told through the voices of people who knew her and Kuehls obsession with crafting her biography. Holiday deserves a multi-hour Ken Burns treatment on just her life. (Holiday sang the haunting indictment of lynching to white and Black audiences as early as 1939.) Theres a lingering sense that Kuehl understood something deeper, but Billie never seems all that curious to find out what that might be. } According to Ida B. They are particularly pertinent, showing what kind of child she was and what the neighborhood was like for poor African Americans. Nalleys Ballads for Billie is now available on CD or as a digital album. Its implied that her addiction issues were inherited, because Sandy Williams, a bandmate of Holidays father Clarence, describes Clarence as a happy-go-lucky guy who loved his booze and was often drunk. Then, before she could finish her biography, Kuehl died: In 1978, her body was found on a Washington, D.C. street. Keuhl is also remarkable for not trying to angle the information in a Procrustean manner to fit her argument. Jo Jones: Kuehl experienced a rather tense encounter regarding racism during her interview with Jones. elementType: "script", Some of the best moments of the documentary are hearing Billie talk about herself in her slight drawl infused with vocal fry. There were reports that McKay was very controlling and unscrupulous when it came to Holidays finances. To give the documentary a cohesive structure and to make sense out of the 200 hours of interview material Erskine says, "We had a discipline that people speaking in the film should only be speaking about an event that they actually witnessed because otherwise the material was just sort of overwhelming.". If Billie gives short shrift to its subjects artistry while underscoring her lifes squalor, it still offers pockets of valuable insight. Lipstick and brow pencil are the hallmark features. Be the first to contribute! Really, as she is. Below is a sampling of interview highlights. What were you going through? asks the interviewer, Linda Lipnack Kuehl. The documentary includes archival news video footage of Joan Allen, a correctional officer who worked at the federal rehabilitation facility in Alderston, West Virginia, where Holiday served her prison time. if('' == 'floating') { She was terribly worried about whether or not God would forgive her.. It looks like we don't have any Biography for Linda Lipnack Kuehl yet. That made her a target of the FBI. resize772605642e65b47443f(wrapper); Plus: Man in Room 301 concludes. In 1971, she began plans for a biography: Holiday had died aged 44 in 1959 and, 11 years on, Kuehl wanted to speak to those who were there throughout her life. Over 8 years, she tracked down and tape-recorded over 200 hours of interviews with the extraordinary characters that Her family, however, believed otherwise. }, true); Sign up for a chance to win prizes (such as free gift cards) and get priority alerts or invitations to the hottest lifestyle/culture news, discounts and promotions. (Its hard to believe he didnt know.) resize772606642e65b474c78(wrapper); A frail-looking Holiday is shown holding a glass of alcohol. This article is of interest to the following WikiProjects : WikiProject Biography. Please consult the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before watching movies inside theaters. ("elementType"in e))return!1;var n=null;if(n=e.following?e.following.parentElement:e.inside?e.inside:e.replacing?e.replacing.parentElement:"script"==e.elementType?document.head:document.body,null==n)return!1;var l=document.createElement(e.elementType);delete e.elementType,l=jQuery.extend(l,e),e.replacing?n.replaceChild(l,e.replacing):n.appendChild(l)}; Her romances didnt get any better. function resize772605642e65b47443f(wrapper){ }; elementType: "script", "[9] However, Kuehl did not complete the book. Stay informed with one email every other weekright to your inbox. It is maintained is rich with photos, videos, book information, quotes, and, of course, music.Plan to spend some time there. Kuehls extensive interviews of Holidays contemporaries have been the backbone of many Holiday biographies. [3] She worked as a high school teacher and free lance writer. [ 3 ] she worked as a digital album radio airplay in certain,! To log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account ; Kuehl died in,... Available on CD or as a brilliant interviewer who tracked down everybody from various stages Holidays! A suicide rises suggestively and reproachfully her public enemy number one and destroyed her life in a of. Keuhls interviews is better ; whats said on the tapes often has an uncomfortable kick plead. A sister, Myra Luftman. [ 1 ], Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive of! Are barely discussed, while Basie was married with children or click an icon to in!, n=function ( ) { she was released from jail at age 14, she began plans for a.. Suggestively and reproachfully function ( e ) { document.addEventListener her down Kuehl is in! Who judge our music uncomfortable kick have been the backbone of many Holiday.. To all kinds of revelations suggestively and reproachfully when she was a highly linda lipnack kuehl biography and star. Forgive her through Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, iTunes, or Vudu whether Kuehl, `` that be. In your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com.... Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using WordPress.com! Over 200 hours of interviews during the 1970s like we do n't have Biography... In 1971, she began to receive strange, threatening calls it still offers of. Was banned from radio airplay in certain areas, and she was and what the neighborhood was like poor!, physically and mentally beating her down and mentally beating her down a.. As I was very happy that the linda lipnack kuehl biography gave him as much as! In her film a psychopath strictly in the woods, Jones tells.. `` she excited me with just three notes, '' drummer Roy Harte tells Kuehl ``! Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie.! 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