Remembering Phyllis Hyman

[daviddesper]

A few days ago [[June 30th to be exact) marked the 20th anniversary of the night we lost the incomparable Phyllis Hyman. Not only that, but her 66th birthday would have been coming up on Monday, July 6th.

Considering that some of her peers [[Dionne, Patti, Melba, etc.) are still going strong, it is mind-boggling to think of the incredible music she could have given us during this past 20 years and maybe well into the future. Sadly her demons overtook her, but she certainly left us with an amazing array of songs that are still relevant today.

She could tell a story within a song better than anyone before or since. I personally am sooooo very thankful to the producers and record company personnel who gave us such a wonderful assortment of releases in the years since her passing. Apparently all the vaults are finally emptied, but I cannot think of any artist who was honored so thoroughly and completely after their passing, and each and every release was welcomed gratefully.

I hope you are resting in peace, you dear Sophisticated Lady! We miss you!

[arr&bee]

Very nice post,yes the very beautiful,talented ms.hyman is missed, but she will always live in our hearts.

[Bluebrock]

A few days ago [[June 30th to be exact) marked the 20th anniversary of the night we lost the incomparable Phyllis Hyman. Not only that, but her 66th birthday would have been coming up on Monday, July 6th.

Considering that some of her peers [[Dionne, Patti, Melba, etc.) are still going strong, it is mind-boggling to think of the incredible music she could have given us during this past 20 years and maybe well into the future. Sadly her demons overtook her, but she certainly left us with an amazing array of songs that are still relevant today.

She could tell a story within a song better than anyone before or since. I personally am sooooo very thankful to the producers and record company personnel who gave us such a wonderful assortment of releases in the years since her passing. Apparently all the vaults are finally emptied, but I cannot think of any artist who was honored so thoroughly and completely after their passing, and each and every release was welcomed gratefully.

I hope you are resting in peace, you dear Sophisticated Lady! We miss you!

Lovely post daviddesper. You obviously love Phyllis just as i do. I agree this lady had it all . A beautiful lady with such a distinctive and passionate voice. I love most of her music but i particularly adored her philly. int work. Gamble and Huff knew what to do with that incredible voice. I did hear there are other philly productions in the vault which i would love to hear. In the meantime we have some wonderful music to remember her by. It is hard to comprehend it is over 20 years since Phyllis left us, but what a legacy she left us. I only wish she could have appreciated her gifts the way we could and do. R.I.P indeed.

[splanky]

20 years!?!...Seemed like yesterday....Thankfully she left a fine body of work...

[marv2]

I remember now. I remember I was shocked that she had died a whole month before I heard about it. I was driving one night outside of Boston and heard a DJ say " In memory of Phyliss Hyman...." and it was the last week of July `1995! She died in NYC and I had not heard anything about it.

[daviddesper]

It was definitely one of those "remember where you were" moments as many celebrities deaths are.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

I, too, love Phyllis Hyman. She was so multi-talented, so revered, yet felt so unloved and unappreciated. Especially poignant was her posthumously-released track "I Refuse To Be Lonely". It's as though she knew what was about to happen. Tragic loss.

[midnightman]

I got the news receiving my JET in 1995. I don't think she was on the cover but it said it in big letters: "Phyllis Hyman [[1949-1995)". It was one of the saddest obituaries I ever read in any magazine or newspaper. She was truly a talent to be reckoned with, which makes her death [[suicide via bipolar issues) even more tragic. RIP