How about during my teenage years back in the 70’s when I went to my first concert ever, which happened to be a Phyllis Hyman concert? My first impression was that sometimes we hear an artist and we think, wow, great voice! They may not necessarily look like their voice in our own minds. (Whatever they are supposed to look like in yours…)
To make my point, not only was there the voice. But there was this tall, regal and statuesque beauty, gliding across the stage with a voice such as I had never heard, belting out ballads such as “Somewhere In My Lifetime”, or “The Answer is You”.
I was completely mesmerized from that day forward, and even to this day, by the extremely rare talent that oozed from this gorgeous diva. While of course many who know the whole Phyllis story, are affected by the tragedy, I have a whole other take on the way she wove her soulful, jazzy rich tones into my heart, and embedded them there for all times for me!
My children will say to me, doesn’t her music make you sad? And I can’t even begin to explain how her songs, from the moody melodies to the upbeat ones, all make me feel warm and uplifted. Not only that, but so inspired that I am able to even include in my repertoire, a few Phyllis selections that I am able to belt out in own rendition. No…I am no Phyllis, as a male singer especially, but let me tell you. You will want to hear me pour my heart out in my homage to Phyllis as I sing from the heart:
- Here’s That Rainy Day
- Somewhere In My Lifetime
- Old Friend
When you come to a “Ballads” show, you should expect to hear at least one of her ballads, as she will continue to reign in my heart, as one of the greatest female vocalists of any generation! For any who were fortunate enough to see her performance in the hit Broadway musical, “Sophisticated Ladies”, that was a showstopper of all times. First of all, what a phenomenal tribute the entire ensemble gave to the great Duke Ellington, based on his genius creations of such tunes as “I Got it Bad and That Ain’t Good”, “Take the A Train” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing”). These were just some of the powerful tunes performed by the cast. To top it off for me was to hear Phyllis swoon in her beautiful, flowing nightgown, “In a Sentimental Mood”. Let’s just say that I went more than a couple of times to see that Broadway production when I lived up north and was always just as mesmerized as the first time.
When I search the internet or YouTube channels for her live performances, I come across so many treasures. So for those who never got to hear and understand the artistry and sheer vocal ability that this beautiful soul delivered, I am very thankful for the recordings available. I also come across so many articles written about her life story, and again, they focus on the sadness. But for me, the music is all about celebration of her life, beauty and talent. And being able to actually sing some of her songs with my studio performances, is one of the biggest ways I can think of to pay homage to one of the best female vocalists of our generation. Don’t take my word for it… click on the links to a couple of these performances…and treat yourself right. Go to YouTube and search her live performances for yourself. You won’t be disappointed…I promise you!
