March 12, 2021 ▸ Entertainment, People

Episode 565: Billie Holiday: The First Lady of Jazz

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the life, drugs, music, and drugs (so many drugs) of Billie Holiday. She is considered one of the all-time greats of American music and jazz, but she had a troubled past. Billie worked in brothels as a child and was repeatedly raped and sold through early sex trafficking by the same madam her mother worked for. Through all this, her love of music and dedication to the craft got her off the streets and into singing.

At 16, she was singing in clubs in New York, and by 18 she was working for Benny Goodman. However, along the way she became addicted to drugs, big time. Meanwhile, a horrible man named Harry Anslinger was in charge of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. He was a racist and thought blacks, jazz, and drugs were ruining America. When he couldn’t literally bring down all of jazz music (which he tried to do), he put all his efforts on bringing down Billie Holiday.

She battled his agents and her own demons through her tumultuous life. Give this one a listen for all the corrupt-Fed, heroin-fueled details!

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.biography.com/musician/billie-holiday

https://www.biography.com/news/billie-holiday-facts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/drug-war-the-hunting-of-billie-holiday-114298

https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/billie-holiday

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/62880/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-billie-holiday