NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — She was known as the "First Lady of Song;" Ella Fitzgerald influenced generations of musicians for more than half a century.
A modern-day role model, Fitzgerald was born out of poverty in Newport News.
Her home was just a couple of blocks away from what used to be an all-white high school.
Today, it’s the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center. The 276-seat theater inside bears her name.
Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy awards, sold more than 40 million albums, and is, without a doubt, one of the all-time greats.
Fitzgerald died in 1996 from complications with diabetes. She was 79 years old.
But she will never be forgotten.
A mural on 26th Street and Jefferson Avenue in Newport News reminds locals of the legend every day.
And this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival in Newport News.
This year’s festival will feature Grammy award winner Samara Joy, considered one of the first Gen Z jazz singing stars and a shining example of the legacy Fitzgerald left behind.