(born April 25, 1917, Newport News, Va., U.S.—died June 15, 1996, Beverly Hills, Calif.) U.S. singer. She won an amateur contest at Harlem's Apollo Theatre in 1934 and became the star of drummer Chick Webb's big band the following year. Her association with manager and impresario Norman Granz in the late 1940s led to performances with Jazz at the Philharmonic and a famous series of “Songbook” recordings, each featuring the work of a single popular-song composer. Fitzgerald was one of the greatest scat singers in jazz; her clear, girlish voice and virtuosity made her one of the best-selling vocal recording artists in history.

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(born April 25, 1917, Newport News, Va., U.S.—died June 15, 1996, Beverly Hills, Calif.) U.S. singer. She won an amateur contest at Harlem's Apollo Theatre in 1934 and became the star of drummer Chick Webb's big band the following year. Her association with manager and impresario Norman Granz in the late 1940s led to performances with Jazz at the Philharmonic and a famous series of “Songbook” recordings, each featuring the work of a single popular-song composer. Fitzgerald was one of the greatest scat singers in jazz; her clear, girlish voice and virtuosity made her one of the best-selling vocal recording artists in history.

Learn more about Fitzgerald, Ella with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Marta Cid i Pañella (born July 29, 1960) was Minister of Education of Catalonia from 20 February 2004 until 12 May 2006.

Education and professional background

Marta Cid i Pañella received a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, a Graduation in Teaching and a Postdegree in Speech therapy from the UB. She taught basic education between 1982 and 1987, and worked as a speech therapist in the Special Educational School and Occupational Factory (APASA) between 1987 and 2000.

Civic background

She founded the Amposta Handball Club, a sport she played until 1984. She also cofounded the Against Transfer Coordinator, and has collaborated with several organizations and cultural associations of Amposta.

She cowrote PHN: la raó d’Estat contra l’Ebre i la Terra (PHN: State reason against the Ebre and the Land) in 2003.

Political background

Marta Cid enrolled in ERC in 1978, where she held several charges. She chaired the Amposta-located section, the Montsià Local Federation and the Terres de l'Ebre division.

She has been head of the Tarragona electoral list for the Spanish Congress twice, and member of the list for the Catalan Parliament in 1995. She also chaired the ERC's National Council.

Institutional background

She has been Councillor in Amposta Town Council (1993 to March of 2004), Regional Councillor in Montsià (1997-2001) and First Vicepresident of the Montsià Local Federation (1999-2001).

In 2000, she was elected in Tarragona for a seat in the Spanish Senate by the ERC party, integrated in the Entesa Catalana de Progrés (Catalan Agreement of Progress). She resigned in November of 2003 because she was elected as a deputy in the Catalan Parliament elections. After she was elected Minister of Education of the Generalitat de Catalunya (substituting Josep Bargalló i Valls), February of 2004, she resigned as deputy in April of 2004.