new york city,brothel,jazz singer or musician,mental breakdown,biography,addiction,rape victim,tour bus,racism,based on memoir or autobiography,period drama,drug overdose,music history,lynching,dying young,black singer,withdrawal,heroin addict,nightclub singer,blues music,billie holiday,harlem, new york city,carnegie hall,rise to fame,wayward girl,death of a musician,music tour,1940s,somber,1930s,following one's dream,desperate,former prostitute,period film,straight jacket,cautionary,black woman,cultural icon,woman's story,disheartening,powerful,woman musician,deep south racism,kkk rally

Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

Poster for Lady Sings the Blues

Diana Ross is Billie Holiday. Diana Ross sings Billie Holiday. And a superstar is born.

Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.

Cast & Crew

Director
Sidney J. Furie
  • Profile picture of Diana Ross
    Billie Holiday Diana Ross
  • Profile picture of Billy Dee Williams
    Louis McKay Billy Dee Williams
  • Profile picture of Richard Pryor
    Piano Man Richard Pryor
  • Profile picture of James T. Callahan
    Reg Hanley James T. Callahan
  • Profile picture of Paul Hampton
    Harry Paul Hampton
  • Profile picture of Sid Melton
    Jerry Sid Melton
  • Profile picture of Virginia Capers
    Mama Holiday Virginia Capers
  • Profile picture of Yvonne Fair
    Yvonne Yvonne Fair

Recommendations

  • Poster for Mandingo
  • Poster for The Wiz
  • Poster for Eddie Murphy Raw
  • Poster for And Soon the Darkness
  • Poster for Jimi: All Is by My Side
  • Poster for Elton John: One Night Only, The Greatest Hits
  • Poster for Diana Ross: The Lady Sings Jazz and Blues
  • Poster for Changeling

Keywords

  • new york city
  • brothel
  • jazz singer or musician
  • mental breakdown
  • biography
  • addiction
  • rape victim
  • tour bus
  • racism
  • based on memoir or autobiography
  • period drama
  • drug overdose
  • music history
  • lynching
  • dying young
  • black singer
  • withdrawal
  • heroin addict
  • nightclub singer
  • blues music
  • billie holiday
  • harlem, new york city
  • carnegie hall
  • rise to fame
  • wayward girl
  • death of a musician
  • music tour
  • 1940s
  • somber
  • 1930s
  • following one's dream
  • desperate
  • former prostitute
  • period film
  • straight jacket
  • cautionary
  • black woman
  • cultural icon
  • woman's story
  • disheartening
  • powerful
  • woman musician
  • deep south racism
  • kkk rally