BILLIE HOLIDAY The Musician and the Myth

This investigative history studies Billie Holiday’s life and music and the various other biographies written since her death in 1959. Karen Chilton’s mellifluous voice is perfect for the study of a jazz singer. The author examines Holiday's autobiography, excerpted materials, and oral histories to understand her and the world she lived in. This audiobook is long winded, and Chilton’s reading ebbs and flows. Listeners learn more about Holiday’s music than the better-known tragedies of her life. Chilton works hard to keep listeners engaged in this scholarly exploration of the woman herself, her method of singing, her place in music history, and the context of the times. Musical interludes between the chapters would enhance this audiobook. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2016]