Phyllis Hyman: A Musical Gift

If I could sing, I would want to sound like Phyllis Hyman. I would want a voice that’s deep, sexy, strong, and filled with emotion. Phyllis Hyman embodies all those qualities. If you’ve ever heard a song by Phyllis Hyman you know exactly what I’m talking about. Her voice is like honey. So smooth, so wonderful, so different from anything we hear in the music business today. I can admit that I have some Rihanna on my IPod and I do dance to Beyoncé on occasion, but lately whenever I want to hear soul-touching music, Phyllis Hyman is the person I turn to.

I was born in 1988, so I didn’t get the chance to be a fan of her when she was alive, but I do remember hearing “Betcha By Golly Wow” during the ‘Quiet Storm’ on our local radio station. I remember being lulled to sleep in the backseat of my family’s Buick by her silky, smooth, haunting voice. Today I am able to appreciate her artistry a lot more and she is truly one of the best singers to have ever graced this music industry. Her voice is so perfect that it’s almost indescribable. It’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold, rainy day. It fully encompasses you and grabs your attention, leaving you dreading the end of the song. Phyllis Hyman is what we call a ‘Diva’ in every sense of the word. Not only did her velvety voice demand your attention, but her 6 foot 1 stature made it impossible to turn away. Phyllis Hyman’s voice is unlike anything I ever heard and her song, “I Refuse to be Lonely” is the story of my life right now. She was beautiful, talented, and very intelligent. If you go on YouTube, you can see videos of Phyllis being interviewed in 1987 by Ebony Magazine and she is so articulate. I love seeing Black women who can speak well and who really having something to say worth listening to. A woman like Phyllis Hyman only comes around once in a lifetime and the time that we were fortunate to have her talent on this earth should be treasured. To say her presence is missed in today’s music industry would be definite understatement.

Phyllis Hyman was born in 1949 in Philadelphia and raised in Pittsburgh and as a child knew she wanted to be a “rich, successful, single, childless, Afro-American woman” and eventually she became a notable songstress on the Norman Connors ballad, “Betcha By Golly Wow” in the mid-70s and later a Broadway star appearing on the stage in “Sophisticated Ladies” in 1981, which would land her a Tony Award nomination. During the 80s and early 90s, Phyllis would make a name for herself as a Jazz/R&B diva, with hits such as “Living All Alone”, “Don’t Want To Change the World”, and “Loving You/Losing You” just to name a few. She was well-respected by her peers in the music industry, but remained unhappy for a number of years because of life’s disappointments. Love, weight, and success were a few things that kept Phyllis depressed, but her Bi-Polar disorder was the biggest issue. Medicating her disorder with drugs and alcohol only left Phyllis more and more depressed and on June 30, 1995, she took her own life with pills and vodka before a gig at the Apollo Theatre with The Whispers. She died only a few days before her 46th birthday.

Phyllis Hyman was a gift to us all and despite her sad ending, she left a something wonderful for us all to remember her by. Her music was spectacular and her voice was unlike any other. She was a magnificent spirit and I am glad to have her music to help me cope with the pain that I may experience in my life. So I ask you all to turn off the latest pop princess of today and turn on a queen of music that was under appreciated, but an overwhelming talent. Peace.

Watch the Diva at work below