She, Donny & Billie know how to trigger deep emotions that I try my hardest to keep buried.

I still remember the day she died. Talk about a stormy day that got stormier. She was a legend in her own time really. Rest in peace Phyllis.

I never saw my mother looking so upset about a celebrity's death before or since, she was devastated over Weldon Irvine's death but Phyllis' death was a big blow to her. Ma & Sakeema(Phyllis sis) were friends and they used to do some work for a couple of social centers around Brooklyn, Harlem & the Bronx, she met Phyllis couple of times there where she herself used to come with her band and sing and despite her flamboyant persona/image, the only thing my mother remembers from those couple of encounters was how much of a "gentle hearted woman" Phyllis was.

Big fan as my mother is, she played NOTHING from Phyllis' music for two years,,,thats how hard she took the news. If my momma suffered from it and she's only a STRANGER, a fan who buys her record,,,,,,,,imagine what Hyman's family went through.

Personally speaking, I still marvel at how much of a versatile vocalist she was,,,,,I think thats why her body of work endured, and will keep doing so.

My best friend & roommate saw her in concert in Atlanta like 7 times. He loves him some Phyllis Hyman. I did see her "Unsung" episode.

[Edited 12/25/10 15:10pm]

Phyllis was an incredible vocalist who never really got the reognition and success that she deserved.I have most of her albums.Favorite song is "Old Friend"

Timmy84 said:

I still remember the day she died. Talk about a stormy day that got stormier. She was a legend in her own time really. Rest in peace Phyllis.

You do? How old are you Tim? I thought you was a little bit younga.

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

I still remember the day she died. Talk about a stormy day that got stormier. She was a legend in her own time really. Rest in peace Phyllis.

You do? How old are you Tim? I thought you was a little bit younga.

26. I was 11 when she died.

Harlepolis said:

I never saw my mother looking so upset about a celebrity's death before or since, she was devastated over Weldon Irvine's death but Phyllis' death was a big blow to her. Ma & Sakeema(Phyllis sis) were friends and they used to do some work for a couple of social centers around Brooklyn, Harlem & the Bronx, she met Phyllis couple of times there where she herself used to come with her band and sing and despite her flamboyant persona/image, the only thing my mother remembers from those couple of encounters was how much of a "gentle hearted woman" Phyllis was.

Big fan as my mother is, she played NOTHING from Phyllis' music for two years,,,thats how hard she took the news. If my momma suffered from it and she's only a STRANGER, a fan who buys her record,,,,,,,,imagine what Hyman's family went through.

Personally speaking, I still marvel at how much of a versatile vocalist she was,,,,,I think thats why her body of work endured, and will keep doing so.

Have you ever heard of this jazz club called the Blue Note? She used to play there in Manhattan.

Timmy84 said:

musicjunky318 said:

You do? How old are you Tim? I thought you was a little bit younga.

26. I was 11 when she died.

Oh ok. I was 6.

SoulAlive said:

Phyllis was an incredible vocalist who never really got the reognition and success that she deserved.I have most of her albums.Favorite song is "Old Friend"

Before she passed, I saw one of her interviews. She stated the reason her success was never mainstream is because she refused to sell out. Those were her words.

angel345 said:

SoulAlive said:

Phyllis was an incredible vocalist who never really got the reognition and success that she deserved.I have most of her albums.Favorite song is "Old Friend"

Before she passed, I saw one of her interviews. She stated the reason her success was never mainstream is because she refused to sell out. Those were her words.

I remembered that too. She kept it real until the end.

What happened to her?

musicjunky318 said:

What happened to her?

She committed suicide just before she was to perform at the Apollo. She and the Whispers were supposed to be the headliners. The Whispers carried on a full show in her honor. She died before she was to have turned 46. She had an addiction to cocaine and prescription pills and overdosed on the latter.

Timmy84 said:

musicjunky318 said:

What happened to her?

She committed suicide just before she was to perform at the Apollo. She and the Whispers were supposed to be the headliners. The Whispers carried on a full show in her honor. She died before she was to have turned 46. She had an addiction to cocaine and prescription pills and overdosed on the latter.

Ohhh wow....

I remember the day her death was announced, like it was yesterday. Her voice is still very haunting to me.

Smooches;)

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

She committed suicide just before she was to perform at the Apollo. She and the Whispers were supposed to be the headliners. The Whispers carried on a full show in her honor. She died before she was to have turned 46. She had an addiction to cocaine and prescription pills and overdosed on the latter.

Ohhh wow....

She suffered from bipolar disorder, which possibly played a role in her suicide. If you listen to her music, she was telling her life story ("Living All Alone" among others, etc.).

Timmy84 said:

musicjunky318 said:

Ohhh wow....

She suffered from bipolar disorder, which possibly played a role in her suicide. If you listen to her music, she was telling her life story ("Living All Alone" among others, etc.).

I think my dad has a few of her records. I'm about to check his shelf now.

Wasn't she in School Daze?

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

She suffered from bipolar disorder, which possibly played a role in her suicide. If you listen to her music, she was telling her life story ("Living All Alone" among others, etc.).

I think my dad has a few of her records. I'm about to check his shelf now.

Wasn't she in School Daze?

Yes she was and I was loving that hat.

angel345 said:

musicjunky318 said:

I think my dad has a few of her records. I'm about to check his shelf now.

Wasn't she in School Daze?

Yes she was and I was loving that hat.

Yeaaa. I love that movie. Classic.

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

She suffered from bipolar disorder, which possibly played a role in her suicide. If you listen to her music, she was telling her life story ("Living All Alone" among others, etc.).

I think my dad has a few of her records. I'm about to check his shelf now.

Wasn't she in School Daze?

Yeah that's how I first got to know who she was. That and the "Living All Alone" album, which was still in heavy rotation when I was old enough to remember lol

I met her at a club once in Los Angeles in the mid-80's (The Catch One). Her bodyguards kept trying to keep her off in a corner, but she kept shooing them away, opting instead to mingle and dance with everyone in the club. She was very down to earth. I will never forget how we all partied together, and how she made us all feel like we were all the same. She just laughed and danced with everyone, and no one mobbed her. We just all had a fun night together, and her bodyguards were just left there standing by themselves shaking their heads.

Hopefully she's found the peace in death that seems to have eluded her in life.

PDogz said:

I met her at a club once in Los Angeles in the mid-80's (The Catch One). Her bodyguards kept trying to keep her off in a corner, but she kept shooing them away, opting instead to mingle and dance with everyone in the club. She was very down to earth. I will never forget how we all partied together, and how she made us all feel like we were all the same. She just laughed and danced with everyone, and no one mobbed her. We just all had a fun night together, and her bodyguards were just left there standing by themselves shaking their heads.

Hopefully she's found the peace in death that seems to have eluded her in life.

Cool story, yeah I heard about that and saw signs that she was indeed what you said she was, down to earth. Something about the Philadelphian divas have a very down to earth vibe with them: Phyllis, Patti, etc.

My mom saw her in concert but the concert ended earlier because she was too high.

babybugz said:

My mom saw her in concert but the concert ended earlier because she was too high.

Must've been in her final years alive...

Timmy84 said:

PDogz said:

I met her at a club once in Los Angeles in the mid-80's (The Catch One). Her bodyguards kept trying to keep her off in a corner, but she kept shooing them away, opting instead to mingle and dance with everyone in the club. She was very down to earth. I will never forget how we all partied together, and how she made us all feel like we were all the same. She just laughed and danced with everyone, and no one mobbed her. We just all had a fun night together, and her bodyguards were just left there standing by themselves shaking their heads.

Hopefully she's found the peace in death that seems to have eluded her in life.

Cool story, yeah I heard about that and saw signs that she was indeed what you said she was, down to earth. Something about the Philadelphian divas have a very down to earth vibe with them: Phyllis, Patti, etc.

Yeah, her bodyguards were so frustrated because they couldn't control her. It was clear that she was there to party. The last time I saw her perform was here in NY at Carnegie Hall on December 1, 1992 - just a little more than 2 years before she died. Hers is a very tragic story, indeed.

Oh, I miss her too. It's still hard for me to get through an entire cd of hers without crying.

fansince79 said:

Oh, I miss her too. It's still hard for me to get through an entire cd of hers without crying.

"Old Friend" is one of the biggest tearjerkers of all time to me. Even Phyllis cried when she recorded/sang it live.

Harlepolis said:

She, Donny & Billie know how to trigger deep emotions that I try my hardest to keep buried.

This is so true They all have hauntingly beautiful voices and evoke so much soul. It comes from their dark pasts.

Phyllis is one of my all-time favorite vocalists and she seemed so down to earth. There's so much feeling behind her voice. She's one of those few singers that makes you tear up.

That's alright honey, you've still got me.