Broadcast: April 20, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
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Episode 11 - Billie's Admirers
This episode features comments by the many friends Billie knew and worked with along with comments by contemporary musicians and others who have been influenced by her and, of course, selections from her historic recordings.
In this episode, we hear such songs as "The Man I Love", "I Loves Your Porgy", "But Beautiful", "Strange Fruit", "You've Changed", "Baby Get Lost", and others. There are also comments by Dianne Reeves, Angela Davis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Robert O'Meally, Dr. Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Cassandra Wilson. We also hear opera expert Fred Plotkin compare Billie to Maria Callas as we mix "I Loves You Porgy" with "La Mamma Morta" by Umberto Giordano.
Other interviews in the episode are with Milt Gabler, Fred Plotkin, Teddy Wilson, Jo Jones, Buck Clayton, Jimmy Rowles, Carmen McRae, Billie Eckstine, Silvia Syms, and others.