Her tragic life and death are as important a part of Billie Holiday's story as her undeniable talent as a singer. Poverty-stricken from birth, she was introduced to drugs and hard living at a very young age and spent her childhood on the streets carousing with various criminal elements. But, among that turmoil she found her greatest strength--her unique and emotion-filled voice--and a willingness to succeed. Although her emphatic delivery and natural talent was initially off-putting to the mainstream, her perseverance helped to transform the role of the vocalist in popular music. All singers who have followed, regardless of the genre they sing in, owe a debt of gratitude to Billie Holiday. In this new title, readers will learn about the troubles faced by this legendary singer and how she affected the music world with her original voice.