July 6th, 1949 - Phyllis Hyman was born on this day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She would have been 57 today. Gone too soon.
I heard some beautiful tributes today of Phyllis Hyman's music, life and career and they are doing some more tonight too during the Love and Slow Jam Shows on DC's Urban Adult Contemporary stations, MAJIC 102.3 and 96.3 WHUR. Just beautiful and I am lovin' it. I just found out today that WHUR hosted her last live on-air radio performance in 1995, just two weeks before her untimely death on June 30th, 1995. Amazing.
I had the opportunity of meeting Phyllis Hyman during the time I worked at WDCU JAZZ 90 FM in Washington, DC. If I remember correctly, it was in June of 1991 when her album entitled, "Prime of My Life" just came out. So many great musicians and artists came through Jazz 90, as mentioned earlier, a post will be coming up on my experiences at the old WDCU Jazz 90 soon.
I was engineering that day doing various duties around the station; mics, cables, tapes, etc. I had just gotten off from my last class of the day, walked into the station, put my stuff away and came into the main studio when I was asked if I could adjust Phyllis Hyman's microphone. You should have seen my face. Those were just how days went at the station sometimes. You truly never knew who was dropping by.
I walked into the studio and there she was. She kindly waved hello, after I introduced myself and told her what I needed to do, she graciously sat back so I could do it. I adjusted her microphone during one of the breaks while she was being interviewed on air. She was a real pro who of course was used to sound techs running around, etc.
She was an incredibly beautiful woman in person. More beautiful than any picture I had ever seen of her. She radiated and actually had a glow. Tall, statuesque and beautiful. When she stood up at the end of the interview, I think she had to have been almost 6'2. A tall beautiful lady. I will never forget that she had on a big, fancy round hat and underneath you saw those big beautiful eyes. I wondered then how a lady so beautiful could cover up all that beauty under a big hat but she was known to wear big hats like that.
The interview she gave that day was interesting. It was the first time I got to really hear her personality in person come through in an interview setting. One of the things I remember about her interview that day was her laugh. She had a big, hearty laugh and she was keeping everything very real that day. She wasn't afraid to tell the truth. She could be vocal and quiet at the same time if you know what I mean. She had a strong personality and said some funny things too that had everybody laughing.
I knew of Phyllis Hyman from my parents first and also listening to her many songs on the radio. I also saw her in Spike Lee's School Daze in 1988 where she sings that beautiful, lush, romantic song, "Be One."
Be One
I later saw her on The Arsenio Hall Show in November of 1992 where she performed some of her songs and Arsenio interviewed her where we all had the chance to see the more fun side of her personality on TV too.
On the afternoon of Friday, June 30th, 1995, I was working as an On-Air Personality at another Jazz 90, WRTI Jazz 90 FM in Philadelphia. It was the weekend before the 4th of July and everybody was excited about their weekend plans, getting out of town, etc. Not long before I signed off, we received the news on the AP Wire that Phyllis Hyman had died. Everybody was stricken and so saddened and we had to announce it on air. We did some tributes to her too. Only hours before a scheduled performance at the Apollo Theater in New York, Phyllis' lifeless body was found in her apartment; she had taken an overdose of sleeping pills and left a suicide note.
It has been reported that there were many people in Phyllis' inner circle who knew about her battle with alcoholism, bi-polarism which lead to extreme mood swings, her bouts with depression and her ongoing battle with weight gain for years, but I was not one of them. I did not find out about those things until after her death and how she struggled with them through medications, etc. I also didn't find out until years later how in 1993 she lost both her mother and grandmother when they died within a month of one another. Phyllis Hyman's death was truly sad and a great loss.
She had a beautiful deep, sultry, voice. A voice of gold. There still is no one out here to this day I have heard that sounds exactly like her or even comparable to her and there probably will never be. She was one of a kind. She is truly missed by many. Every time I hear one of her songs I think about her and her life. Peace to her soul. Her works include:
Phyllis Hyman on Broadway:
Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies (1981)
Phyllis Hyman Albums:
Phyllis Hyman (Buddah 1977)
Somewhere In My Lifetime (Arista 1979)
Sing A Song (Buddah 1979)
You Know How To Love Me (Arista 1979)
Can't We Fall In Love Again (Arista 1981)
Goddess Of Love (Arista 1983)
Living All Alone (Philadelphia International 1986)
Prime Of My Life (Philadelphia International 1991)
I Refuse To Be Lonely (Philadelphia International 1995)
Forever With You (Philadelphia International 1997)
6 comments :
Stagehnd, you are right! That would be something else indeed. They would have to search and I mean really search for a lady who could even sound close to her. Nobody well known. There is no one out here who can touch her still. It would have to be someone we haven't even seen yet who also has her similar sound and even possibly her height. Plus I would want her to have a similar beautiful look similar to Phyllis Hyman. I know they say in bio-flics it doesn't always matter if the actor or actress looks like the real person and sometimes that can be true but to me, certain roles the actor has to look like the real person. At times like these you just can't get around it. This actress would have to have her look, be able to sing like her and act too because Phyllis Hyman also did Broadway. She would have to be in my Father's words , "A bad mamajamma, applescrapper, motorscooter!" ;)
Oh, snap, twice! LOL. stagehnd, be glad we good friends that go way back! LOL! Queen Latifah as Phyllis Hyman? No way. Beyonce as Phyllis Hyman? Doesn't work for me either. That would be too easy to hook up and fall flat on its face all in one fell swoop if they aren't careful. Not because they're not talented ladies but because I would want someone else who could do her even better then them. Someone who would knock us all out. Remember, I said it has to be someone unknown. Also, no digital tuning. That cancels the whole thing out. LOL! As someone who works in theater, you know some of the the best actors, actresses, singers, artists, etc. out here are the people we haven't seen yet in popular culture. With Phyllis Hyman's story, I would really want them to go special. To not go the popular easy top 5 picks. I would want them to dig deep and find an unknown lady out here that would blow us all away like Phyllis did who would even have her natural voice tone. If they searched hard and long enough I believe they'd find her.
Stagehnd, interesting point of view there. A list of contenders? I still am feeling an unknown actress to do this role if they did it. I would go to bat for a lady who we haven't seen yet or who is not in the daily rotation of radio play or even movie play.
I would start my search in Black Theater Companies across America, then I would have casting calls from different Black Churches across America where the real Soul Sistahs are doin there thing every week better then most that are out here today. Then I would search for sistahs on Broadway and off Broadway. Then for good measure I would take advantage of the Summer Time and hold auditions at every Unity Fest, Black Family Reunions, Stone Soul Picnics, you name it, from the East Coast to the West - particulary if I was going for someone who had her look.
Brotha, if I had the budget to really search for a Phyllis Hyman, I know all the events where I would begin where ladies are en masse esp this time of the year! LOL! Wanna come with me! Let's do it! LOL!
Another interesting element to me that I would want her to have is someone who has that dynamic of growing up in the 50's, 60s, 70's, etc. Someone who has that Old yet Young School feel to them. Someone who could pull of her young 20 something and adult life.
Like I said before, it would be a major thing to search for a perfect match for a Phyllis Hyman to really do her justice. They would really have to do their homework. This would have to be somebody who wants to do the role. Somebody who really was into her music and sound without it coming off as an impression, you feel me?
Or even if she wasn't into her music in the past, who had a voice tone similar to hers and when she opened her mouth to sing, it would be like, "dayum! she Sounds like her." Without trying to. She would have it like that on her own. I mean, this lady would sound like herself first and foremost but you could hear that Phyllis up in that voice, you feel me?
On your Tina Turner and Ray movies point, when we heard Tina's vocals that was Tina not Angela. And as we know from the Ray movie, they did both Ray's real voice for some songs and Jamie's voice for some songs too. You are right, they were about the people's lives but the thing with Jamie was he has that extra talent where he can actually sing and could even sound like him when he wanted to so that was an added plus. Plus he could play the piano.
When I said it would be too easy to pick a big name star this is partly what I meant. All they would have to do is pick "Star X" and just fill in her voice with Phyllis'. I am sick of that route! How tired is that? I would want someone who could really sing like her, I am talking the ideal project here if I were to direct it or had the power to choose for that project! LOL!
I wouldn't want no half-steppers worth a damn. I would want someone who really did or could sound like her. Otherwise, yeah we'd be coming to see just her life story but I would be expecting to see that anyway. I wanna hear her sing too! LOL! I'd be looking for a straight knock-out here.
I don't think the star name always makes it an instant hit. That is my point too.
I'd look to Black Theater Companies first and Broadway and off-Broadway.
Thier are also some NeoSoul ladies out here who might be able to pull of the singing part of it who I think can stretch into Jazz.
But once again, no one out here comes to instant mind who has her sound.
Acting talent first - look in the theater companies.
Similar looks second - my East to West Coast auditions.
Talent vocally last? - this part is so important to me for her I couldn't put it last! LOL!
Starting names? You got a copy of Backstage around?
A list of ladies out here right now who could do her justice? I'ma think on that one and get back to you! Like I said for what we got here today, I have to search beyond the popular choices both acting and singing.
Stagehnd, I see your point about getting someone who could actually "sang" but can't act and it flops. Interesting.
Now, your example of the great actor with totally no voice at all who has her look and it turns out to be a hit? LOL! OK, I could possibly see that but it would take a serious stretch for me to see it And, would it still make big money that way if the lady couldn't sing a note? I'm not sure of that. But OK, you never know! You are right, it worked with Angela as Tina but I think that was because people had a lot of love for Angela as an actress and she did knock that role out. She gave it all she got. Plus she was able to get with Tina Turner who she had the benefit of her still being alive to consult on some things.
I think with Phyllis it is a catch 22. Especially in today's world where we are getting too many pre-recorded, studio overly produced artists as it is. We can count on our fingers who can really sing live out here as it is.
I say flip it for once and actually go for the lady who can sing too. I say go with your triple threat from the jump to cover all your bases. Go head and look for her! LOL! She might just be out there! Aim high and go from there. That way at least you aimed high if you couldn't find her.
You asked me the question, would I think Phyllis Hyman's story would make a great movie. And I say, yes, I do. I think it would make a great story. I think where we differ is on how it would be done and how they would pick who would play her part. What would deemed more important for the potential actress, etc. Talent, looks, voice.
My point is if they have the resources to find someone with all three, go for it. Lord knows, Hollywood has money to burn to do the thorough search!
I actually think our posts here are an example of how many people would feel if all of the sudden we were just to hear "whoever-whoever" was chosen to play her part. Everybody I think would have a reaction to that similar to what we are expressing here. Opinions would be all over the place I am sure as to who they should have gone with and why. This is another reason why I say Bio-pics are sticky to me. You just can't please everybody. Especially the die-hard fans of whomever.
I think it's all a matter of point of view. Not only would Phyllis Hyman's role be hard to cast, so would all the ladies in her age group or other great singers for the same reasons; Patti, Chaka, Teena Marie, Stephanie Mills, Anita Baker, Roberta Flack, Minnie Ripperton, etc. All of them would be hard to cast for some of the same reasons to me. I wouldn't rush to cast any of them without being careful and thorough.
My bottom line is doing the original artist's life and body of work justice. Again, I know Hollywood's bottom line is to make that money but I believe if you're going to commit a story to film, esp a bio-pic, get it as right as you can. This is how I feel as a music fan and film fan too, Bio-pics are always sticky territory to me. I have always felt that way as long as I viewed them because I have seen some pretty bad ones but also some good ones.
It's a fine line balancing act but the day we stop looking for "the greatest fit" is the day we shortchange ourselves as producers, directors, writers, etc. I say search on until you find your best. Don't confine it to a certain group. This is how the art of filmmaking is being lost to me. Everyone is going with the quick, fast fix. A lot can be lost in the mix when folks do that over and over again.
Sometimes there's a better reasoning then just getting "putting butts in the seats" of the theaters. Which brings me to another question about films, are they all to be made for profit or for art or can a successful comprimise be reached successfully? Another post for another time!
Hollywood makes it clear what their bottom line is every day, that dollah! I ain't mad at em, that's what they are there to do even though in The History of Hollywood books it shows it wasn't always that way in different eras.
Example: Spike Lee chose Miki Howard to play Billy Holiday in X. She didn't sound exactly like her but it worked great to me. He actually chose Sade to be in School Daze for that scene of "Be One," but at the last minute he couldn't get Sade so he picked Phyllis and she knocked it out. Just portraying a singer.
There's plenty of other examples too how you can take a singer to play a singer and it will either work or not work. Now, Diana Ross as Billy Holiday? That was not the best choice to me. I remember hearing the fallout from adults about that as a kid!
OK, you wanna go well known first? Deborah Cox! Similar look. Similar height. She has the voice. All she woud have to do is lower her tone down a lil bit. She's done stage. She's been in "Aida". She can act. I think we have our first contender! deborahcox
Stagehnd, I respect you! Great post! Excellent point that got me thinking some more. Very interesting indeed. Very good point about her life and what was going on behind the scenes most of us didn't even know about until she passed. That is a must to convey too. I wanna see that. I think we can touch and agree that these things are the minimum things, the basics at least, they should focus on her if they will do it. We can agree to disagree on things too! It's all good! Quality in mind for this film definitely! This film could happen now. I'm feelin it.
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