After arriving in New York, Hyman began what would be a longterm and fruitful partnership with music producer Norman Connors. Connors, who became familiar with Hyman via her popular nightclub act, was introduced to her by fellow musician Richard Clay. It was this meeting, that resulted in her recording a cover of the classic Stylistics song “Betcha By Golly Wow”, a version that I personally believe is superior to the original. After featuring on Connors’ album in 1976, Hyman attained radio success with frequent duet partner Michael Henderson on the song “We Both Need Each Other”, peaking at number 23 on Billboard’s Black Singles chart. Following the success of the single, Hyman signed to legendary independent label, Buddha Records, and released her self-titled debut album the following year.

Following the acquisition of Buddha Records by Arista in 1978, Hyman’s talents were now under the tutelage of music industry legend, Clive Davis. Davis, who’d already been an integral part of the careers of singers Janis Joplin, Bette Midler, and bands Earth Wind and Fire, and Aerosmith, intended for Hyman to become a pop crossover success. After enlisting Barry Manilow to pen her next studio effort, Hyman released her third album, Somewhere in My Lifetime, in 1979. Though the album was a gorgeous mix of mid tempo songs and ballads, the record failed to resonate with pop audiences. Hyman’s follow-up album, You Know How to Love Me, found Hyman paired with R&B producers James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The lead single of the same name, peaked at number 12 on the Black Singles Chart, and is considered one of the great disco tracks of the late 1970’s. The album itself sold 400,000 copies, which was the most Hyman had sold at that point, but still disappointed the label heads at Arista.

The 1980s saw Hyman expand her talents into other forums of the entertainment world, culminating in her star-making turn in the Broadway revival of Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, alongside Gregory Hines from 1981 to 1983. For her work in Sophisticated Ladies, Hyman was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Newcomer, and garnered a new audience of fans that were captivated by Hyman’s dynamic voice and stunning beauty. Simultaneously, Hyman found herself with a top 10 R&B hit with the song “Can’t We Fall in Love Again”, with Michael Henderson. In the time that Hyman spent doing Broadway, Davis’ attentions were shifted to developing Arista newcomer Whitney Houston, and after a fractious seven years, Arista chose to drop Hyman from the label in 1985.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UivPgMzzn6E

Throughout the latter part of the 1980s to the early 1990s, Hyman divorced husband and longtime manager Larry Alexander, and like so many others of her time, struggled with a dependency on cocaine, and alcohol. Diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder, Hyman would begin a cycle of stints in rehab, followed by periods of sobriety and relapse that would plague her for the rest of her life. It was also during this time, that Hyman produced some of the most emotive and personal work of her career. After signing with Philadelphia International Records in 1986, Hyman released Living All Alone the same year, the title track in which, became one of her best known songs. “Living All Alone” became a staple in her live performances, which frequently featured Hyman’s ability to whistle the entirety of the song’s musical break. 1991’s Prime of My Life was Hyman’s first studio album in five years, and featured Hyman’s sole pop hit, “Don’t Wanna Change the World”, which peaked at number one on the R&B charts, and 68 on the Hot 100. The album itself went gold, and was the final album to be released during Hyman’s lifetime. Throughout 1992 to 1994, Hyman was deeply enveloped in drug abuse after the deaths of both of her parents, and being ravaged by the psychological effects of Bipolar II. In spite of her troubles, Hyman went on to craft her final album of new material, the hauntingly titled, I Refuse to Be Lonely in early 1995.

On June 30, 1995, after failing to arrive at a sound check for a show she was scheduled to perform at the Apollo Theater, Phyllis Hyman was found dead in her apartment; the victim of an apparent suicide, aged 45. After experiencing several delays that reportedly had a negative impact on Hyman’s mental health in her final months, I Refuse to Be Lonely was posthumously released in November of 1995. Like many of the singles throughout her career, it was the title track that proved to be a standout on the album, and tragically, turned out to be the swan song of her career. Though the life and career of Phyllis Hyman experienced both triumph and tragedy, what should be remembered most is her enigmatic and witty stage persona, majestic voice, and captivating beauty, along with an expansive musical catalog of soul touching work. If you’ve never been familiar with her, I highly encourage you to check out her greatest hits collection down below.

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With a career spanning 6 decades, Womack first started making moves in the music world in the 60s as a member of The Valentinos, the group he founded with his siblings and that was discovered by Sam Cooke. It was during this period that he started building his reputation as a writer, penning with his brothers the first UK #1 hit for The Rolling Stones in 1964, “It’s All Over Now,” a song that was originally intended for his group to record and release. After Sam Cooke’s death stalled the group’s career, Womack continued to work as a musician and writer contributing to some of the most revered musical work of the 60s: he played guitar on several songs from Aretha Franklin’s iconic Lady Soul album, he wrote songs for Wilson Pickett and played and composed for Rock artists such as Sly and the Family Stone and Janis Joplin.

In the 1970s Bobby Womack found his breakthrough as a solo artist, releasing acclaimed albums and singles, such as the iconic “Across 110th Street,” released in 1972 as part of the soundtrack to the omonymous blaxploitation movie set in Harlem. In 1976 he released the breezy R&B hit “Daylight,” while he returned to the top of the charts in 1981 with “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” from his album The Poet.

In the last years of his career, he notably lent his voice to “Stylo” released in 2010 by the virtual band Gorillaz. The single was met with positive reactions by critics and helped expose Womack to a new audience. His last album, The Bravest Man in the Universe, was released in 2012 and was his first release in more than a decade.

Bobby Womack passed away in 2014, but not before establishing his legacy as a songwriter. A number of his songs have been covered or sampled by contemporary artists, such as K-Ci Haley of Jodeci, Kelly Rowland (who covered “Daylight” with Travis McCoy for her 2007 album Ms. Kelly) and Mariah Carey, who referenced Womack and his “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” on her 2005 comeback single “We Belong Together.” “Across 110th Street” was given new life in 1997 with its use on the Quentin Tarantino directed movie Jackie Brown.

The versatility of his writing and the warm timbre of his voice have left an indelible mark on R&B music. His long career as a musician and singer produced an extensive catalog that has received acclaim by critics and his peers, being referenced as an influence by many artists. Bobby Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Check out some of Womack’s most popular cuts:

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I never really listened to Nina Simone until a few years ago. I was familiar with her name, knew her voice a bit especially from samples in hip hop (Common, Lil’ Wayne, Kanye West & Jay-Z). Then I listened to Nina Simone, and I have yet to slow down.

Nina is a complicated figure in music history, in part because she will not fit into a traditional genre box, and she preferred it that way. Born Eunice Waymon on February 21, 1933 in segregated Tryon, North Carolina, she was a classical piano prodigy from the age of 3. Her first act of civil rights activism was during her first recital at the age of 12. Her parents were moved from the front row to the back to accommodate white attendees, and she refused to play until her parents were given back front row seats.

From there, she auditioned and was rejected from Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music (supposedly due to her race), and began playing piano and singing in Atlantic City, which is where she was reborn under the moniker Nina Simone. The stage name was an effort to keep her secular performances from her mother, a Methodist minister. Her repertoire at this time was classical, jazz, and blues.

She found success with a rendition of “I Loves You Porgy” (her only Billboard Top 20 record), and began her ascent to prominence. Her notability grew when her music began to politically reflect the times, first in 1963’s “Mississippi Goddam”. As she progressed further into politically charged lyrics and tones, her music also began to incorporate more soul & R&B, while effortlessly juggling her other genres, which by this point also included showtunes.

After the Civil Rights era began to crumble, so did Nina. She effectively vacated the United States and spent time living here and there before finally settling in France. after leaving the US in the 1970’s, she recorded and released just 4 more studios albums (and a handful of live albums). Her final album, A Single Woman, was released in 1993.

What draws me to Nina, is not only her sporadic and diverse catalog, but her unmistakable voice. I love how she described her singing voice: “Sometimes I sound like gravel and sometimes I sound like coffee and cream”. Her soulfulness mixed with occasional agitation is spellbinding, and her cadence is nothing short of incredible. And her skill as a pianist is genius. This is also the woman who incorporates a classical solo in the style of Bach in the middle of a cover of “Love Me Or Leave Me”, effortlessly. It works so well, it is always on any Nina playlist I create.

Her diverse representation of black women on “Four Women” is a chilling masterpiece, as is her demanding rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell on You”. Lyrically, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free”, as she sings about breaking the chains holding her and wanting to giving all she can give, could be read as a plea. Somehow, she delivers it with such optimism and motivation and hope, it is a true awakening. Even when she sings in another language, such as French song “Ne Me Quitte Pas”, her soulfulness properly conveys the song’s meaning, ‘please don’t leave me’.

My favorite Nina song will forever be “Sinnerman”. It’s a 10-minute spiritual awakening that shakes me to my core, every single time I listen. From the opening notes of the piano, through each change and progression of the song, I quiver.

Though Nina remained somewhat unsung over the years, thankfully her influence continues. Last year Netflix released a family-approved documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? to examine and explain Nina’s complicated life (mostly through clips of Nina herself speaking). The film went on to be nominated for an Academy Award. Nina has been gone for over a decade but her music and her genius will continue to inspire generations to come. I guarantee it.

Explore Nina further with this playlist:

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