Simply listen to this, do nothing else for the next five and half minutes to see why I wrote that diary title:
Cassidy had a wide range as a singer. She was the favorite duet partner of Chuck Brown, the father of GoGo - let me offer a couple of selections:
and
Cassidy died young, born February 2, 1963, dying November 2, 1996, of melanoma.
She was well-known in the DC music scene, but almost totally unknown outside of it at the time of her death.
In 2000 her performance of the "Over the Rainbow" was played on BBC, and that started a well-deserved revival, which in England included the video with which I started. The revival in the US was also helped by TV exposure - a brief Nightline piece in 2001 starting the revival here.
You can of course read about her online. The Wikipedia article provides some fairly good info. There is also this website, which has been dedicated to her and her music since 1999.
It is the music on which I wish to focus. One more with Chuck Brown (whom I believe is the piano player on this), God Bless the Child:
The range of songs she could do is incredible. Here is a live performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water:
The guitar accompaniments are Cassidy - as you can here on this performance of Ain't No Sunshine . . .
A duet with Katie Melua (herself a terrific singer), What a Wonderful World:
Her 1996 performance at Blues Alley, from which several of these selections are taking, is legendary, as one can see in this performance of Stormy Monday:
Songbird is one of her best known songs:
"Fever" was written and originally performed by Little Willie John, but made famous in the pop version by Peggy Lee. Cassidy has a very different approach:
"Danny Boy" is often so badly performed. It is simple, and yet difficult to make sense of as a performer - believe me, I know from many years ago when I tried my hand at folksinging - it was the 60s. Anyhow, here is Cassidy's version:
Something a little different, again showing the range of genres in which she excelled, "Wade in the Water":
Perhaps an appropriate song with which to end this is Cassidy's performance of Stevie Wonder's "I Can Only Be Me," a song whose lyrics mattered a great deal to her:
I hope by now, if you did not already know Eva Cassidy, you will agree it is well worth your time to learn more of her music.
She grew up in Bowie, which is in the county in which I teach. Some of my students are from Bowie. The parents of one current student grew up with her, as I found out when I shared a few cuts with my students because I thought they ought to know this local genius.
Thanks for taking time on a weekday evening/night to let me share with you.
Peace.
UPDATE - Not changing the title or anything, but I am truly grateful that this has made the Rec list, for however long or short that might be, in the hopes that it will make at least a few more people aware of Eva Cassidy.
And again, Peace.