1930年4月13日（農歷庚午年三月十五），嚴鳳英出生於安慶一間簡陋住房裏，祖籍桐城縣羅家嶺。1934年，她第一次看戲，回家後即能模仿戲中的表演動作。後來經介紹到陳家祠堂與黃梅戲班子住在一起，她不但愛上了黃梅調，更是耳濡目染、無師自通學會了一些唱腔、動作。
10歲時嚴鳳英開始正式學唱黃梅調，後跟隨嚴雲高學戲，取藝名鳳英，1954年因在黃梅戲電影《天仙配》中飾演七仙女而揚名全國。文革期間遭迫害致死，現骨灰安放在安慶市菱湖公園內黃梅閣中。安慶羅嶺建有嚴鳳英故居紀念館。
嚴鳳英的唱腔圓潤明快，表演質樸細膩，嗓音清脆甜美，韻味醇厚。在吐字方法上，既學習京劇的吐字，又註重保持黃梅戲語言的地方特色。她將兩者糅合使用，融會貫通，自成一家，被稱為嚴派。同時，她的唱腔還貫穿著一個“情”字，註重從人物感情出發，具有耐人尋味的藝術魅力。
嚴鳳英雖然只活了38歲，但她對黃梅戲的發展作出了卓越的貢獻，影響極為深遠。她的表演對黃梅戲的特色和風格起到了極大的強化作用，並使黃梅戲這一地方戲劇受到全國觀眾的註意和喜愛。可以說，沒有嚴鳳英，黃梅戲或許不可能在全國眾多劇種中迅速崛起。
1930年4月13日（农历庚午年三月十五），严凤英出生于安庆一间简陋住房里，祖籍桐城县罗家岭。1934年，她第一次看戏，回家后即能模仿戏中的表演动作。后来经介绍到陈家祠堂与黄梅戏班子住在一起，她不但爱上了黄梅调，更是耳濡目染、无师自通学会了一些唱腔、动作。
10岁时严凤英开始正式学唱黄梅调，后跟随严云高学戏，取艺名凤英，1954年因在黄梅戏电影《天仙配》中饰演七仙女而扬名全国。文革期间遭迫害致死，现骨灰安放在安庆市菱湖公园内黄梅阁中。安庆罗岭建有严凤英故居纪念馆。
严凤英的唱腔圆润明快，表演质朴细腻，嗓音清脆甜美，韵味醇厚。在吐字方法上，既学习京剧的吐字，又注重保持黄梅戏语言的地方特色。她将两者糅合使用，融会贯通，自成一家，被称为严派。同时，她的唱腔还贯穿着一个“情”字，注重从人物感情出发，具有耐人寻味的艺术魅力。
严凤英虽然只活了38岁，但她对黄梅戏的发展作出了卓越的贡献，影响极为深远。她的表演对黄梅戏的特色和风格起到了极大的强化作用，并使黄梅戏这一地方戏剧受到全国观众的注意和喜爱。可以说，没有严凤英，黄梅戏或许不可能在全国众多剧种中迅速崛起。
1930 Nián 4 yuè 13 rì (nónglì gēngwǔ nián sān yuè shíwǔ), yánfèngyīng chūshēng yú ānqìng yī jiàn jiǎnlòu zhùfáng lǐ, zǔjí tóngchéng xiàn luó jiā lǐng.1934 Nián, tā dì yī cì kàn xì, huí jiā hòu jí néng mófǎng xì zhōng de biǎoyǎn dòngzuò. Hòulái jīng jièshào dào chén jiā cítáng yǔ huángméixì bānzi zhù zài yīqǐ, tā bùdàn ài shàngle huángméi diào, gèng shì ěrrúmùrǎn, wú shī zì tōng xuéhuìle yīxiē chàngqiāng, dòngzuò.
10 Suì shí yánfèngyīng kāishǐ zhèngshì xué chàng huángméi diào, hòu gēnsuí yán yún gāo xué xì, qǔ yì míng fèng yīng,1954 nián yīn zài huángméixì diànyǐng “tiānxiān pèi” zhōng shìyǎn qīxiānnǚ ér yángmíng quánguó. Wéngé qíjiān zāo pòhài zhìsǐ, xiàn gǔhuī ānfàng zài ānqìng shì líng hú gōngyuán nèi huángméi gé zhōng. Ānqìng luó lǐng jiàn yǒu yánfèngyīng gùjū jìniànguǎn.
Yánfèngyīng de chàngqiāng yuánrùn míngkuài, biǎoyǎn zhípǔ xìnì, sǎngyīn qīngcuì tiánměi, yùnwèi chúnhòu. Zài tǔzì fāngfǎ shàng, jì xuéxí jīngjù de tǔzì, yòu zhùzhòng bǎochí huángméixì yǔyán dì dìfāng tèsè. Tā jiāng liǎng zhě róuhé shǐyòng, rónghuìguàntōng, zìchéngyījiā, bèi chēng wèi yán pài. Tóngshí, tā de chàngqiāng hái guànchuānzhuó yīgè “qíng” zì, zhùzhòng cóng rénwù gǎnqíng chūfā, jùyǒu nàirénxúnwèi de yìshù mèilì.
Yánfèngyīng suīrán zhǐ huóle 38 suì, dàn tā duì huángméixì de fāzhǎn zuòchūle zhuóyuè de gòngxiàn, yǐngxiǎng jíwéi shēnyuǎn. Tā de biǎoyǎn duì huángméixì de tèsè hé fēnggé qǐ dàole jídà de qiánghuà zuòyòng, bìng shǐ huángméixì zhè yī dìfāng xìjù shòudào quánguó guānzhòng de zhùyì hé xǐ'ài. Kěyǐ shuō, méiyǒu yánfèngyīng, huángméixì huòxǔ bù kěnéng zài quánguó zhòngduō jùzhǒng zhōng xùnsù juéqǐ.
April 13, 1930 (Lunar Gengwu March 15), Yan Fengying was born in a humble tenement located in Anqing. Her hometown is Luo Jialing, Tongcheng County. In 1934, she first watched Huangmei Opera, she could mimic the action of the play after the show. Later, she was introduced to the Chenjiaci and lived with Huangmei Opera team together. She began to love Huangmei and learned some singing, movement without a teacher.
Yan Fengying started formal Huangmei training when she was 10 years old. She was directed by Yan Yungao and took a stage name “Fengying”. In 1954, she became famous all over China for playing “the seventh fairy” in Huangmei film "Goddess Marriage". During the Cultural Revolution she was tortured to death and now her ashes was placed in Huangmei Pavilion, Linghu Park, Anqing. There is a memorial of her in Luo Ling Yan, Anqing.
Yan Fengying has mellow and bright sing skills, simple and delicate performance, thin and sweet voice which are full of charm. The articulation method she use not only intimate from Beijing opera, but also pay attention to keep the local characteristics Huangmei language. She combines the two to use, and make it an unique genre called “Yan”. Meanwhile, her singing also runs through a "feeling" because her performance focuses on the characters’ feelings that have intriguing artistic charm.
Although Yan Fengying lived to 38 years old, she made outstanding contributions to the development of Huangmei with far-reaching effects. Her performance significant strengthening effect on the characteristics and style of Huangmei and made Huangmei, a local opera, be noticed and loved by national audiences. We can say that without Yan Fengying, it may be impossible for Huangmei to make a rapid rise among numerous operas in China.