Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald, dubbed as queen of jazz, is photographerd during a visit to London, Feb. 23, 1958. Getty Images/John Downing

Thursday, June 15, marks famous American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald’s 21st death anniversary. Due to her authority over jazz she was popularly known as first lady of song, queen of jazz and even Lady Ella.

Fitzgerald was born April 25, 1917 in Newport News, Virginia to William Fitzgerald and Temperance (Tempie) Fitzgerald. Her parents separated shortly after her birth and Fitzgerald and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York. Fitzgerald spent her childhood aspiring to become a dancer. Her mother died in 1932 when Fitzgerald was 15.

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At the age of 17, she debuted at the Apollo Theater in Manhattan, New York City. Throughout her decades-long career, she worked with all the jazz greats, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman.

In 1958, Fitzgerald made history by becoming the first African-American woman to win a Grammy Award.

Fitzgerald died in 1996 at the age of 79 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Following are some quotes by Fitzgerald, gathered from EllaFitzgerlad.com, AZ Quotes and Brainy Quote.

"It isn't where you came from, its where you're going that counts."

"Music is the universal language ... it brings people closer together."

"Everybody wants to know about my style and how it came about. It's no big secret. It's the way I feel."

"I'm very shy, and I shy away from people. But the moment I hit the stage, it's a different feeling I get nerve from somewhere; maybe it's because it's something I love to do."

"I stole everything I ever heard, but mostly I stole from the horns."

"The only thing better than singing is more singing."

"I guess what everyone wants more than anything else is to be loved. And to know that you loved me for my singing is too much for me. Forgive me if I don't have all the words. Maybe I can sing it and you'll understand."

"I know I'm no glamour girl, and it's not easy for me to get up in front of a crowd of people. It used to bother me a lot, but now I've got it figured out that God gave me this talent to use, so I just stand there and sing."

"The fabulous places I've been, wonderful things that've happened, great people I've met ought to make a story."

"Coming through the years, and finding that I not only have just the fans of my day, but the young ones of today -- that's what it means, it means it was worth all of it."

"I sing like I feel."

"Some kids in Italy call me 'Mama Jazz; I thought that was so cute. As long as they don't call me 'Grandma Jazz.'"

"I don't want to say the wrong thing, which I always do. I think I do better when I sing."

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