No Regrets: Music & Spirit of Billie Holiday

Thursdays at 7pm

 

Hosted by the legendary jazz broadcaster Rhonda Hamilton, this 13-part series offers an intimate and comprehensive exploration of Holiday’s journey, from her early life in Baltimore to her rise to stardom and lasting impact on the jazz world.

 

The focus throughout is Holiday’s singular musical artistry, her independent spirit, how her unique approach to her music became one of the strongest influences in the evolution of jazz, and how she continues to influence performers today.

 

The series includes interviews with musicians and scholars including: Karrin Allyson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Angela Davis, Lara Downes, Dr. Farah Jasmine Griffin, Corky Hale, Alan Harris, Rene Marie, Professor Robert O’Meally, Dan Morgenstern, Fred Plotkin, Adam Clayton Powell III, Beth Roars, Dianne Reeves, Phil Schaap, Andromeda Turre and Casandra Wilson. The program also includes archived interviews collected by Linda Kuehl including Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Silvia Syms, Jo Jones, Milt Gabler, John Hammond, Billie Taylor, Mal Waldron, Bobby Tucker and others.

 

Through rich archival recordings and never-before-heard interviews, “No Regrets” paints a vivid portrait of a complex woman whose music continues to resonate deeply today. The series provides a captivating narrative from her early recordings with Benny Goodman to her collaborations with the big bands, her struggles with addiction, and her final years. Listeners experience the evolution of her unparalleled singing style, the power of her iconic rendition of “Strange Fruit,” and the profound challenges she faced throughout her life. The series is a history lesson.

 

Produced by the acclaimed Steve Robinson of New Media Productions. and written insightfully by NEA Jazz Master Willard Jenkins.