Just as Billie Holiday hit her stride and  released a series of songs that would become all-time classics, such as “God Bless the Child” and “Gloomy Sunday”, the recording ban of 1943 drew the music world to a halt.

The “AFM” (American Federation of Musicians) prohibited members from making any recordings with instrumental music, thus essentially dragging popular music to a nearly complete halt. Some vocalists were still able to record songs, provided that there were no actual musical instruments involved, but this didn’t help Billie Holiday, who relied immensely on the musicians she worked with, and respected.

So, with this show, we cover the era before the strike takes place.

Featured tracks include:

Loveless Love

Let’s Do It

All of Me

God Bless the Child

Am I Blue?

Solitude

I Cover the Waterfront

Love Me or Leave Me

Gloomy Sunday

It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie

Until the Real Thing Comes Along

Trav’lin’ Light

My Old Flame

I’ll Get By

I’ll Be Seeing You