Billie Holiday (1915–1959)

Born: April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Died: July 17, 1959 (age 44) in New York City, New York, USA

She died with 70 cents in the bank and $750 strapped to her leg — a reminder of her lifelong fear of poverty.

In 1959, narcotic addiction was a crime, not an illness. She was arrested on her deathbed.

Billie had no cabaret card and this kept her from working in New York City clubs for the last 12 years of her life.