Clarence Halliday (also known as Clarence Holiday) is an American musician and the probable father of singer, Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...

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Early life

At the age of 15 years old, Halliday became the unmarried father of Billie Holiday who was born to 13 year old Sadie Fagan. Halliday rarely visited Fagan or her daughter.

When he was 21 years old he moved from Baltimore to Philadelphia.

Career

Halliday played rhythm guitar and banjo as a member of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra (1928–33). Halliday also recorded with Benny Carter

Benny Carter

Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...

 (1934) and Bob Howard (1935) and worked with Charlie Turner

Charles Turner (musician)

Charles Turner was an American jazz trumpeter. Turner performed with Frank Sinatra for eight years, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Dorsey, Ralph Flanagan, Harry James, Charlie Spivak, Count Basie and many other great musicians of the 20th century. Charles Turner was one of America’s greatest lead jazz...

 (1935), Louis Metcalf

Louis Metcalf

Louis Metcalf was a jazz cornetist and trumpeter. He played for a short time with Duke Ellington for which he is best remembered....

 (1935–36), and the Don Redman

Don Redman

Donald Matthew Redman was an American jazz musician, arranger, bandleader and composer.Redman was announced as a member of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame on May 6, 2009....

Big Band (1936–37).