Throwback: Happy 111th Birthday, Billie Holiday!

It’s April 2026. We’re at war with Iran. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments about birthright citizenship. The global economy is on a slow-burn collapse. Everything is awesome. Oh, and he’s still alive. 

But we still have music, friends and community, y’all. And hopefully JOVM offers a bit of respite in our mad, mad, mad world. 

So while I do focus on new music, there’s always room to celebrate our legends — both living and departed. 

• The Isley Brothers‘ co-founder Rudolph Isley was born 87 years ago on April 1
• Gil Scott-Heron was born 77 years ago on April 1
• The legendary Marvin Gaye was born 87 years ago on April 2
• Bella Union Records founder and label head, singer/songwriter, musician and Cocteau Twins‘ Simon Raymonde celebrated his 64th birthday on April 3
• Jill Scott celebrated her 54th birthday on April 4
• David Roback, one-half of acclaimed and beloved dream pop duo Mazzy Star was born 68 years ago on April 4
• The legendary  Muddy Waters was born 113 years ago on April 4
• Smash-hit producer, songwriter and artist Pharrell Williams celebrated his 53rd birthday on April 5
• Robert Glasper celebrated his 48th birthday on April 6
• Merle Haggard was born 89 years ago on April 6
• John Oates, best known for his work with the blue-eyed soul duo Hall & Oates one of the most commercially successful duos ever, celebrates his 77th birthday today
• Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider was born 79 years ago today

The legendary and incomparable Billie Holiday was born 111 years ago today. Along with Ella Fitzgerald, Holiday had the most unique and range of any vocalist to have ever lived. Heartbreak and longing somehow just felt more visceral. 

Happy birthday, Billie! Happy birthday, wherever you are!

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The Joy of Violent Movement is a completely independent and completely D.I.Y. media outlet. Over the course of this site’s 15+ year history, I’ve used my fiercely independent stance to cover music with an eclectic and global perspective that a lot of other publications just don’t have — and will likely never have. 

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