VOA标准英语2011-'Lady' Pays Tribute to Billie Holiday

More than 50 years after the death of Billie Holiday, singers and musicians continue to pay tribute to the singer known the world over as "Lady Day." The latest Holiday celebration comes from jazz vocalist Lynne Fiddmont on her new album, "Lady."

In the long line of lady jazz singers there was no one quite like Billie Holiday. Just ask vocalist Lynne Fiddmont, who says, "Most singers have tried to imitate her, but few have even come close."

Lynne interprets the Billie Holiday catalog with an up-tempo mix of jazz, pop, and soul. She explains that choosing the songs for her tribute album was simply a process of elimination¹.

"I listened to all the songs that I had of hers," she said. "I collected them, collected her CDs, went through 30 seconds of each song and said, ‘Ok.' I didn't know ‘I Cover The Waterfront' but I fell in love with it in the first 30 seconds. So, if I fell in love with it in the first 30 seconds I put it on the list."

Lynne Fiddmont caught the acting² bug³ while growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. She performed in local musicals before heading off to Boston University where she earned a degree in Public Relations. After a short stint⁴ at the Berklee College of Music, Lynne moved to Los Angeles to work alongside some of the best in the business. She sang background with everyone from Bill Withers⁵ and Phil Collins to Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder, as well as appearances on the Grammy Awards, MTV Music Awards, American Idol⁶, and even at The White House.

"As a background singer, the trick is to learn fast and execute well," she said.

Lynne was quick to learn the music of Billie Holiday and she executes it extremely well on "Lady." She says Holiday's commanding stage presence was one of her greatest gifts.

"That is to me one of the genius aspects of her," she said. "The other aspect of her genius for me is her phrasing. She didn't think she had to sing it like everyone else."

On "Lady," Lynne is joined by pianist Billy Childs, bassist Christian⁷ McBride, and drummer Billy Kilson on one of Billie Holiday's most memorable⁸ songs, "Lover Man."

1 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

4 stint   

v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事

参考例句：

• He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
• We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。

5 withers   

马肩隆

参考例句：

• The girl's pitiful history would wring one's withers. 这女孩子的经历令人心碎。
• "I will be there to show you," and so Mr. Withers withdrew. “我会等在那里，领你去看房间的，"威瑟斯先生这样说着，退了出去。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

7 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

8 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。