Transcendent jazz vocalist Billie Holiday, whose centenary birthday was celebrated earlier this year, has turned up on a rather strange bit of memorabilia, simultaneously lurid and cute. A friend of DM passed along an original Philadelphia Daily News photo that just sold on eBay, showing Holiday after a 1956 drug bust (hardly her first rodeo—the gifted singer’s life was a tragedy of addiction culminating in her premature death in 1959, not even 45 years of age). It’s not really an unknown photo, but I’ve only seen it with this cropping:
 

 
Which leaves out an incongruously adorable detail:

PH…4…INP SOUNDPHOTO PHILA,.PA…“DOPE RAID.” Nightclub singer Billie Holiday was picked up by Phila., Police in an early morning dope raid at her hotel today. She was held under bail on charges of using dope. She is currently filling a singing engagement at a night club here. Held with her on the same charge was her husband and road manager, Louis McKay, 46. The 41-year-old singer insisted on bringing her pet Chihuahua dog to City Hall. Photo shows Billie leaving the Central cell with her pet dog. Detective Capt. Clarence Ferguson who lead the raid is behind her. DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY SAM PSORAS….2/23/56….

 

 

 
One can only guess as to why she insisted on bringing her pup to jail with her, though if I had to be confined and I had the choice to keep my dog with me? I’d want to, I suppose, but who the hell would feed and walk her?

Here’s a neat detail—the blurb on the photo incorrectly identifies Louis McKay as Holiday’s husband. He would become her husband a little over a year later in early 1957, but lore has it the pair married because of this drug bust, so they couldn’t be forced to testify against one another!

Later in 1956, Holiday would rebound from this to see a career triumph—her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues and the classic LP of the same title would be released, and two sold out Carnegie Hall performances (nicely done, Billie—remember, this was an African-American artist during the segregation era) were held to celebrate. Recordings from those shows were released posthumously, in 1961, as The Essential Billie Holiday: Carnegie Hall Concert. I can’t find any motion footage, but here’s her signature song from that live album.
 

 
You’ve probably heard it a million times, but I don’t care, Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” is still a stunner, and this footage is cool as all hell:
 

 
For an overview on Holiday’s life and career, you could do worse than the documentary Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday. You can watch it right here if you like.
 

 
Many thanks to Ben Merlis and Gilles Petard for sharing this awesome find!

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Rock stars with their cats and dogs