UB Black Music Spotlight: The Unprecedented Phyllis Hyman

As with every Black Music Month, UB is presenting artist spotlight features, to celebrate great R&B artists!

As this years celebration comes to an end, we celebrate an artist that is truly missed and one of a kind, Phyllis Hyman.

Phyllis Hyman, was an enduring vocalist who, while not garnering an over-whelming number of chart hits over her 18-year, seven album recording career, nonetheless scored a bull’s-eye with discriminating listeners.

Phyllis Hyman, passed away June 30th, 1995 – 30 Years Ago Today, in an apparent suicide, was scheduled to perform the same evening at New York‘s Apollo Theatre. She was 45 years old.

Known for her larger than life diva persona, which matched the Pennsylvania native’s prodigious, vintage jazz/R&B vocals and physical stature. Phyllis was more than 6 feet tall.

Phyllis Hyman began her professional music career with the group New Direction in 1971.

DIVA. A reference made to a female performer (usually an opera singer). In the popular vernacular of the music business, particularly in Black music circles, the term diva takes on a whole other meaning.

It implies that a female artist is demanding, difficult, uncompromising, inflexible. It can also be considered a term of endearment, referring to the incredible talent they possess, making them a cut above the rest.

In addition to these ‘Diva Qualities‘, Phyllis was also very elegant, statuesque, radiant, photogenic, and jazzy.

Phyllis Hyman was truly a SOPHISTICATED LADY!!

Devoted fans of the late singer Phyllis Hyman describe her as a songstress extraordinaire with a no-nonsense attitude, and a lavish, larger than life stage persona.

Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis sang with a life affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1949 and raised in Philadelphia, her professional career began in New York city where, during an engagement, she was spotted by producer Norman Connors and contemporaries Jean Carne and Roberta Flack among others.

Phyllis was immediately offered a guest appearance on Connors’ ‘You Are My Starship’ album (1976), which included her classic rendition of ‘Betcha By Golly Wow‘ (previously a hit for The Stylistics in the early 1970’s).

In 1977 Buddah Records released her self-titled debut album which featured the hits ‘Loving You/Losing You’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Lose You.’

A year later Phyllis Hyman was signed to Arista Records. Her first album for the label ‘Somewhere In My Lifetime‘, was released in 1978.

Somewhere In My Lifetime‘ included many tracks that Phyllis recorded for a second album at Buddah ‘Sing A Song.’

The title track for ‘Somewhere..,’ was produced by then newcomer legendary Barry Manilow, a longtime admirer of hers. The song became Phyllis‘ first solo radio hit.

A cover version of Exile‘s ‘Kiss you All Over‘ was remixed for club play as part of Arista‘s promotion, showcasing her versatility.

The following year, the late great James Mtume and Reggie Lucas produced ‘You Know How To Love Me‘ (1979, Arista) album hit the record stores, and the title track became one of Phyllis Hyman‘s biggest hits.

The 1979 album became a then best seller for Phyllis, even though Clive Davis wasn’t enthusiastic with the finished project.

She would include the hit title track it in her repertoire until the time of her passing.

The album, which also contained fan favorites like ‘Complete Me’ & ‘Under Your Spell’, was remastered & re-released in 2002 with informative liner notes & comments by producer James Mtume.

The remastered recording also featured a rare unreleased 1977 track, ‘You’re The One.’

In addition to having a hit album in 1979, Phyllis also lent her talents to the original soundtrack for ‘The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh‘ (starring Julius ‘Dr.J.’ Erving), which was a minor hit.

Phyllis sang ‘Magic Mona‘, which was the theme song for one of the central characters played by Stockard Channing.

In 1981 Phyllis co-starred with Gregory Hines & Judith Jamison in the hit Broadway tribute to Duke Ellington, ‘Sophisticated Ladies’ and continued in the role for two and a half years, garnering a Tony Award nomination and a Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer.

The original cast recording was released by RCA and the album is now out of print. While performing in Ladies, Phyllis cut her next album, ‘Can’t We Fall In Love Again‘ (1981) featuring the title track (a duet with Michael Henderson), and production by Norman Connors.

Phyllis was at the peak of her career at this point, and was widely recognized as a New York celebrity. She was everywhere!

The follow up album, ‘Goddess Of Love‘ (1983) featured a sensational cover shot of Phyllis at her most seductive, draped in a silver bugle beaded gown (which, according to Phyllis, weighed thirty pounds!) and sporting chandelier-sized earrings, a Phyllis Hyman trademark.

The album was produced by Narada Michael Walden & Thom Bell, although containing two strong tracks, was considered patchy at best and Phyllis, discontented with the material chosen for this project was blunt about her feelings toward Arista records and its cavalier attitude towards her.

“Firstly, I came to the label because of the takeover of Buddah. So I didn’t have much choice in the matter,” Phyllis once recalled. “There were some nice records, but I’d say I was pretty much overlooked and ignored.”

Ironically, the title ‘Goddess of Love‘ stuck with Phyllis as a term of endearment from both critics and fans. ‘Goddess‘ would be Phyllis Hyman‘s final Arista album, and even though it is a highly sought collector’s item, Arista never released it, and all of the songs are scattered on a variety of Phyllis compilations released by BMG.

Phyllis was left unrecorded for four years due to contractual discrepancies with Arista, and since she was still legally bound to the Clive Davis-operated company, signing with another label wasn’t possible.

Arista records also tried to destroy Phyllis Hyman’s career by discontinuing key albums, and also by preventing her from recording full length albums elsewhere.

During Phyllis‘ tenure as a prisoner at Arista, the label used all of it’s resources to promote Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin & Whitney Houston‘s self-titled debut album in 1985.

Angela Bofill was barely holding on at the label herself at this time.

While legal battles ensued, Phyllis appeared on numerous movie soundtracks & albums as a guest vocalist, most notably with Chuck Mangione, Barry Manilow, The Whispers, and The Four Tops.

Keeping in the public eye, Phyllis also toured extensively with her band, did a college lecture tour, and lent her voice to several television commercials.

It’s a little known fact that throughout her career Phyllis went out of her way to partner and enlist people of color in every aspect of her business.

She believed to “fight the power,” one must keep the dollars within their community, and was very vocal in her business dealings and standards.

Phyllis embodied the incipient spirit that we now know as “Black Girl Magic,” truly ahead of her time.

In mid 1985, Phyllis was finally free from Arista, and in 1986, she recorded the classic ‘Living All Alone‘ album for the resurgent Philadelphia International record label (released through Manhattan/EMI and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff).

The release of the first single, ‘Old Friend‘, brought Phyllis Hyman back to the forefront of the industry with saturated radio play, international concert bookings, talk show appearances and countless magazine articles.

Arista also attempted to cash in on the new success that Phyllis was enjoying by releasing the shabby ‘Under Your Spell‘ compilation, which totally missed the mark.

Phyllis also had a cameo role in the Spike Lee film, ‘School Daze‘ (1988), performing the jazzy tune ‘Be One‘, to which a video was later released.

Other film appearances include ‘Lenny‘ (1976), ‘Two Scared To Scream‘ (1983) and a co-starring role with Fred Williamson in the action drama ‘The Kill Reflex‘ (1991).

‘Prime of My Life‘ (1991, P.I.R./Zoo/BMG) was Phyllis‘ eagerly awaited follow up album after a four year lull, but was well worth the wait as she took an active role in selecting the material.

While making the album, she agonized over a recent breakup. “It made the songs difficult to record, but the results were fabulous,” Phyllis conceded.

The uptempo hit song, ‘Don’t Wanna Change The World‘, was enthusiastically received by clubs and radio, attaining international status and becoming her First #1 record according to Billboard.

When the song’s popularity soared, P.I.R./Zoo issued a remixed version to accommodate the demands of DJs around the country.

In 1992 Phyllis was voted ‘Number One Best Female Vocalist‘ in the United Kingdom by Blues & Soul magazine readers, beating out the likes of Anita Baker, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.

During this time Phyllis became involved in combating the AIDS crisis by lending her voice to countless benefit shows and visiting wards and hospices in and around New York.

Many patients requested Phyllis‘ presence, which left the singer feeling inadequate and perplexed as to their reasons for wanting to see her as opposed to a family member or friends.

The visits took a heavier toll on Phyllis that she realized.

By now, her own personal problems were becoming evident.

An ongoing battle with alcohol and weight gain, combined with career and financial woes were making life difficult for Phyllis and those around her.

In 1993 she was dealt another blow when both her mother and grandmother died within a month of one another.

Although Phyllis continued to record new material and perform live, her bouts of depression were clearly overwhelming her.

Her irrational, self-destructive behavior was becoming common knowledge to those inside the music industry, her friends and also her fans and on June 30th, 1995, only hours before a scheduled performance (opening for The Whispers) at the Apollo Theatre, Phyllis‘ lifeless body was found in her apartment where all efforts to revive her failed.

Her suicide, while shocking, was not a surprise to many insiders.

Although she enjoyed great success in her professional life, in private Phyllis Hyman was continually plagued by her personal demons she could never shake.

Over that weekend at the Essence Music Festival, friends and business associates expressed their tremendous sorrow at her passing. Several artists performing dedicated their sets to her memory and artistry, and Jesse Jackson united the show’s 50,000 spectators in a prayer to her memory.

In the posthumous released, ‘I Refuse To Be Lonely‘ in 1995, Phyllis alluded to her inner struggle on several songs, five of which she co-wrote.

Her most intimate and emotional project yet, ‘I Refuse To Be Lonely‘ had reached the top 15 on Billboard’s R&B chart, proving that talent of this caliber will always stand the test of time.

Three years later, ‘Forever With You’, was released with the title being chosen by her loyal fans.

‘Forever With You‘ is a collection of unreleased songs that Phyllis recorded for Philadelphia International Records between 1986 and 1995, and it conveys the rich emotions that we have all come to associate with Phyllis Hyman.

In 2003, Michael Grimaldi spearheaded the release of a special Phyllis Hyman compilation. ‘In Between The Heartaches-The Soul Of A Diva‘ (2003, Expansion Records), is was heralded as a classy tribute to the lost Diva.

Featuring many rare tracks including three with McCoy Tyner, ‘Magic Mona’, and a host of previously unreleased gems.

Phyllis Hyman‘s passing has left a void in the entertainment world, and in the hearts of many, including her most devoted fans.

We wish that Phyllis knew how much she was loved and appreciated, her legacy is a testimony to her tremendous gift of song.

Phyllis Hyman will never be forgotten!

The DISCOGRAPHY Of Phyllis Hyman!

The debut “PHYLLIS HYMAN” marked Phyllis’ official album debut and includes the US R&B/dance charted single, ‘Loving You, Losing You’, co-penned by Philly soul maestro Thom Bell who also co-wrote ‘Betcha By Golly Wow’, which Phyllis recorded with jazz drummer Norman Connors in 1976 along with a duet with Michael Henderson.

Resulting in her first exposure to a wider audience.

“SOMEWHERE IN MY LIFETIME” marked Phyllis’ addition to the Arista Records’ roster when Buddah Records was acquired by the Clive Davis-helmed label.

The title cut was co-produced by Barry Manilow; six tracks were included from

Phyllis’ 2nd Buddah LP, “SING A SONG” which only gained release outside the US in 1978; expanded edition features bonus tracks from “Sing A Song” and a guest appearance with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, ‘As You Are’ as well as 12” single versions of ‘Kiss You All Over’ and ‘So Strange’.

“YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE ME” teamed Phyllis with James Mtume & Reggie Lucas, hitmakers for Stephanie Mills; the result was Phyllis’ biggest R&B/dance hit with the now-classic title track; expanded edition includes the Thom Bell-produced ‘Magic Mona’, three tracks on which Phyllis guested with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner.

And ‘In A Sentimental Mood’ from the Duke Ellington Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies, in which Phyllis starred and was nominated for a Tony award.

1981’s “CAN’T WE FALL IN LOVE AGAIN” featured Phyllis’ highest-charting R&B hit, the title track a duet with Michael Henderson.

Other tracks included production by Norman Connors and Natalie Cole’s co-producer Chuck Jackson.

“GODDESS OF LOVE” was Phyllis’ final LP for Arista with production from Narada Michael Walden (the R&B/dance hit ‘Riding The Tiger’) and Thom Bell, with a bonus track from the Bell sessions, ‘I’m Not Asking You To Stay.’

“LIVING ALL ALONE” marks Phyllis’ 1986 pacting with Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International Records’ label and resulted in immediate success with two Top 20 R&B hits, the title track and the perennial ‘Old Friend.’

Which remained a staple of Phyllis’ live shows; expanded edition features guest appearances with Barry Manilow and Grover Washington Jr.

1991’s “PRIME OF MY LIFE” brought Phyllis her 1st R&B chart-topping single, ‘Don’t Wanna Change The World’ (with the rare non-rap version) and included notable tracks ‘Living In Confusion’ and ‘Meet Me On The Moon.’

“I REFUSE TO BE LONELY,” with primary production by Nick Martinelli (who had worked on Phyllis’ 1991 CD) was released after her passing in June, 1995 and features five tracks co-written by Phyllis including the title track and standout ‘It’s Not About You (It’s About Me’).

“FOREVER WITH YOU” consists of a collection of previously-unreleased recordings that Phyllis had recorded for Philadelphia International Records, including four she co-wrote, notably ‘The Strength Of A Woman’, as well as a memorable version of ‘Hurry Up This Way Again’, a 1980 R&B hit for The Stylistics.

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane with Phyllis Hyman!