Question 1

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald's vocal range spanned three octaves, allowing her to mimic any instrument.

Accepted Answer

True. Her range was about three octaves (C3 to C6), and her scat singing famously imitated trumpets, saxophones, and other instruments.

Question 2

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald's first public performance was at the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night.

Accepted Answer

True. She won Amateur Night at the Apollo in 1934 at age 17, originally planning to dance but switching to sing after getting stage fright.

Question 3

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald was the first Black woman to win a Grammy Award.

Accepted Answer

True. She won her first Grammy in 1958 for 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook,' making history as the first Black woman to win a Grammy.

Question 4

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald was born in Savannah, Georgia but raised in New York.

Accepted Answer

False. She was actually born in Newport News, Virginia, and raised in Yonkers, New York. Savannah is a common misconception.

Question 5

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald was a classically trained opera singer before turning to jazz.

Accepted Answer

False. She had no formal vocal training. She learned by listening to records and performing at amateur nights, including her famous debut at the Apollo.

Question 6

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald was diagnosed with diabetes, which later led to the amputation of both her legs.

Accepted Answer

False. She did have diabetes and suffered from heart problems, but she never had any limbs amputated. This is a persistent urban legend.

Question 7

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald never wrote or co-wrote any of her own songs.

Accepted Answer

False. She did co-write a few songs, including 'You Showed Me the Way' with Chick Webb. She wasn't a prolific songwriter, but she did contribute.

Question 8

True or false: Ella Fitzgerald performed at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Accepted Answer

True. She performed at Super Bowl VI in 1972, sharing the halftime stage with Carol Channing and the University of Michigan Marching Band.

Ella Fitzgerald Trivia Questions