phyllis hyman singer new york

Phyllis Hyman (aged 45)
was born July 6, 1949 and died June 30, 1995. She was an American soul singer and Tony-nominated actress.
In 2008, an original version of the James Bond theme "Never Say Never Again," that wasn't used in the film due to contractual issues, was released by the track's co-writer Stephen Forsythe.
On the afternoon of June 30, 1995, Hyman committed suicide by overdosing on pentobarbital and secobarbital in her New York City apartment. She was found hours before she was scheduled to perform at the Apollo Theatre. Her suicide note read in part:"I'm tired. I'm tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you." A memorial service was held at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in New York City on what would have been her 46th birthday.
Phyllis Hyman Old Friend
This song is from one of my favorite albums: Living All Alone.

In November 1995, Hyman's posthumous album I Refuse To Be Lonely, was released. Although the project had an overdrawn gestation, to combat the delay in its commercial release, Hyman started performing the tracks, "This Too Shall Pass" and "I Refuse To Be Lonely" in concert. The delay in the album's release adversely affected Hyman both emotionally & financially and the delay was said to be cited over "cost negotiations."
Phyllis Hyman You Know How To Love Me Classic soul from 1979

Three years after her death, a second posthumous album of previously unreleased material was released. Songs were culled from various recording sessions from the mid 1980s into the early 1990s. Forever With You (1998) contains smooth love songs, torch songs, bittersweet ballads, smooth jazz offerings and uptempo tracks, most of which showcase Phyllis' usual interpretation of heartbreak and strife. Phyllis was quoted as saying that these songs were about "relationships gone bad!" Much of the material on this album was initially intended for her Living All Alone release. The song "Funny How Love Goes" contains a posthumous "duet" featuring vocalist Damon Williams. Half of Hyman's vocals were re-recorded with both singers alternating vocals and providing Williams with exposure.
In December 2003, Expansion Records, in association with The Other Artists' Entertainment (Canada), released the compilation album entitled In Between The Heartaches: The Soul of a Diva. This album contains further previously unreleased demo recordings from the 1980s. Included are the McCoy Tyner tracks which remain Hyman's most critically acclaimed recordings. Many anecdotes outlining his personal relationship with Hyman, along with rare and insightful information about the songs is included by Michael Grimaldi, a personal and professional friend of Hyman.
In September 2007, an authorized biography was released on the late singer's life. The book entitled Strength of a Woman: the Phyllis Hyman Story, is written by Jason A. Michael in cooperation with the Estate of Phyllis Hyman. The book mentions Hyman's relationships with both men and women.
Hyman sang with Pharoah Sanders and the Fatback Band while working on her first solo album, Phyllis Hyman, released in 1977 on the Buddha label. When Arista Records bought Buddah, she was transferred to that label. Her first album for Arista, Somewhere in My Lifetime was released in 1979; the title track was produced by then-labelmate Barry Manilow. Her follow up album You Know How to Love Me, made the R&B Top 20 and also performed well on the club/dance charts. In the late 70's, Hyman married her manager Larry Alexander (who is the brother of Jamaican pianist and melodica player Monty Alexander), but both the personal and professional associations ended in divorce.
Amazing The Late Great Phyllis Hyman with The Late Great Billy Preston on organ and Terry Burrus on piano.

Hyman's first solo Top Ten hit came in 1981 with "Can't We Fall In Love Again", a duet with Michael Henderson. The song was recorded while she was performing in the Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies, a tribute to Duke Ellington. She performed in the role for almost two years, receiving a Tony Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and winning a Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer.
Problems between Hyman and her label, Arista, caused a pause in her recording career. She used the time to appear on movie soundtracks, television commercials and guest vocals, working with Chuck Mangione, The Whispers and The Four Tops. She toured often and did a college lecture tour.
In 1983, Hyman recorded the song "Never Say Never Again" as the title song for the James Bond movie of the same name, written by Stephen Forsyth and Jim Ryan. However, Warner Brothers informed Forsyth that Michel Legrand, who wrote the score for the film had threatened to sue them, claiming he contractually had the rights to the title song. The song was finally recorded by singer Lani Hall, formerly of Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66.
Free from Arista in 1985, she released the album Living All Alone, and capitalized on the torch songs "Old Friend" and the melancholy title track, as well as "You Just Don't Know" and "Screaming at the Moon" in 1986. Shortly after she appeared in the films School Daze and The Kill Reflex. She would also continue to lend her voice on albums for other artist and musicians like Grover Washington, Jr. and Lonnie Liston Smith, while at the same time doing international tours. Her next album, Prime of My Life, released in 1991, was the biggest of her career and included her first number one R&B hit along with being her first Billboard Top 100 Hit "Don't Wanna Change the World", the album gained three more top ten singles "Living in Confusion", "When You Get Right Down to It", and the hit "I Found Love". Just over a year later she appeared one last time on a Norman Connors album, singing the title song "Remember Who You Are", which became a minor R&B hit. Prime of My Life eventually sold 454,000 copies to date.
Hyman's last album, I Refuse to Be Lonely, was a journey into her personal life. Both the title track and the single "I'm Truly Yours" became minor R&B hits. She struggled with bipolar disorder, depression, alcoholism, weight gain and financial problems. She was also emotionally exhausted from lending her talents to AIDS benefits concerts and support groups. Adding to her depression, in 1993 her mother, grandmother and a close friend all died within the span of a month.
info (c) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Hyman