Billie Holiday’s 100th Birthday

The great singing legend Billie Holiday would have turned 100 today on April 7th, 2015.
Let’s celebrate with two of our favorite images by Billie, the first, a Paper cut-out, mixed media and paper collage by the extraordinary collage artist Stephen Longstreet and the second one a sensitive photograph of Billie that was taken by the renowned photographer and supporter of the Harlem Renaissance, Carl van Vechten in 1949.

On The Sunny Side of The Street

Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worry on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street
Can’t you hear a pitter-pat
And that happy tune is your step
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade
But now I’m not afraid
This rover crossed over
If I’d never have a cent
I’d be rich as Rockefeller
Going to set my feet
On the sunny side of the street
Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worry on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street
Can’t you hear a pitter-pat
And that happy tune is your step
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade
But now I’m not afraid
This rover crossed over
If I’d never have a cent
I’d be rich as Rockefeller
With going to set my feet
On the sunny side of the street