Ella Fitzgerald’s Glasses

06/13/24 • 29 min

Ella Fitzgerald made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1947 and returned more than 40 times before her final performance in 1991. When asked if she wanted to let a pack of fans greet her backstage after a performance at the Hall, she replied, “Oh yes, you’d better let them back. Someday, they may not want to come.” The beloved “First Lady of Song” was self-conscious and shy, hyper-aware of the fleeting nature of fame and recognition. Yet she projected an enchanting stage presence, a singular voice combined with improvisational mastery, and a signature sense of style — including her eyewear, like the pair of glasses seen on Ella’s 1973 "Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall" album cover, which are now housed in Carnegie Hall’s Rose Archives.

Guests featured in this episode include vocalist Samara Joy (2023 Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album) and Fran Rosman, executive director of the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation and archivist of the Ella Fitzgerald estate. Members of Carnegie Hall’s Rose Archives and Museum team, including director Kathleen Sabogal, assistant director Rob Hudson, and founding archivist Gino Francesconi, are also featured.

If This Hall Could Talk is available wherever you get podcasts. New episodes are released every other week.

If This Hall Could Talk is available wherever you get podcasts. New episodes are released every other week.

Previous Episode

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert Flyer

This episode looks at a momentous Carnegie Hall concert — the 1961 tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — and the roles that the Rat Pack and many other artists played in supporting Dr. King and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference at a pivotal moment of growth for the organization and the Civil Rights Movement.

Guests featured in this episode include Jonathan Eig, author of “King: A Life,” a 2023 biography of Dr. King; Tom Santopietro, author of “Sinatra in Hollywood”; Will Friedwald, author of “Sinatra! The Song Is You” and “The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums”; Emilie Raymond, author of “Stars for Freedom: Hollywood, Black Celebrities, and the Civil Rights Movement”; and Davóne Tines, path-breaking artist and singer. Members of Carnegie Hall’s Rose Museum and Archives team—including director Kathleen Sabogal, assistant director Rob Hudson, and founding archivist Gino Francesconi—are also featured.

If This Hall Could Talk is available wherever you get podcasts. New episodes are released every other week.

Next Episode

Carnegie Hall’s Rock T-shirt

From The Beatles to Chicago, Pink Floyd to Joni Mitchell, Carnegie Hall’s stage has hosted the best of the best when it comes to rock and popular music, especially during the early 1970s. This episode tells the story of how some of the most famous acts of the day shaped the identity of the hall and revolutionized how and where rock music could be heard. We also explore the creation of Carnegie Hall’s special T-shirts for ushers, which better fit the vibe, energy, and milieu of these concerts.

Guests featured on this episode include legendary concert promoter and New York treasure Ron Delsener, one of the era’s top producers; Lee Loughnane, trumpeter and founding member of the rock band Chicago; and Alan Light, former editor-in-chief of magazines Vibe and Spin and former senior writer for Rolling Stone. Also featured is Gino Francesconi, the founding archivist of Carnegie Hall’s Rose Archives and Museum.

If This Hall Could Talk is available wherever you get podcasts. New episodes are released every other week.