Ella was born on April 25 1917 Newport News VA
Shortly after her birth her parents divorced
Ella and her mother moved to Yonkers NY
They were very poor
after a couple years Ella had taught herself to dance
When Ella was 15 her mother died
Sadly Ella started working for illegal gambling clubs
Then the police picked her up the streets and sent her to a reform school
After Ella ran away from school she sang at the Apollo theater
That was the night Ella's career bloomed Chick Webb asked Ella to join his band
Next Ella and Chick's band made scat singing popular
After Chick's band Ella joined "Jazz at the Philharmonic"
She earned 13 Grammies
She sold more records than any other Jazz singer
And of course she sung at the Carnage hall
Ella's parents are William and Temple(Tempie)
She married twice and adopted Ella's half sister's son
Then she suffered diabetes and she had to remove her legs
Then she died June 15 1996 at 77
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