Billie holiday Quote by Leonard Feather
“Billie Holiday's voice was the voice of living intensity of soul in the true sense of that greatly abused word.”
About This Quote
Billie Holiday’s singing embodied an intense, authentic soulfulness that gave depth to a word often overused.
In simple terms: Her voice carried deep, genuine feeling.
Key Takeaway
Authenticity defines artistic impact.
Themes
music
artistic expression
soul
authenticity
Mood
reverent
nostalgic
Type
musical critique
cultural observation
When to use this quote
- jazz performances
- music criticism
- cultural history lessons
Key Concepts
emotional resonance
cultural appropriation
Practical Applications
- study vocal phrasing
- preserve historic recordings
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a vocal performance feel authentic?
- How does cultural context shape our perception of ‘soul’?
A Different Perspective
The phrase “greatly abused word” is subjective; not all listeners may perceive the same intensity.
![“The other songs [of Billie Holiday] - "Body and Soul" is like the standard - I also wanted some songs that I knew I would sound good on, as a producer. It's been the same nine songs since I debuted it back in 2012.” quote by Jose James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/134/jose-james-22349_billie-holiday_the-other-songs-of-billie-holiday-body-a_260885.jpg)
![“[Billie Holiday] was keeping it super real, and you can feel that to this day. Everything that she sang, she believed in. So I had to pick songs that I felt the same about.” quote by Jose James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ba/jose-james-22349_billie-holiday_billie-holiday-was-keeping-it-super-real_313883.jpg)
