Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella (the First Lady of Song), was one of the most influential jazz singers of the 20th Century, the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Art presented by President Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by the elder President Bush. Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she was noted for her purity of tone, near faultless phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. Although considered by many to be simply the best, some critics have suggested that, whilst not exactly "phoning in the lyrics", she occasionally failed to put the required emotional investment into her interpretations. She remains, however, one of the most successful, influential and enduringly popular singers of the last century.
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