THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 7, 1995 TAG: 9507070602
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHAWN M. TERRY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
ON STAGE, rhythm and blues singer Phyllis Hyman was generally confident, crooning bittersweet ballads and belting out emotional tunes.
Her distinctive vocals and warm, discursive performance style made her a favorite in many cities, including South Hampton Roads.
Off stage, friends say Hyman had spoken about depression, insecurities brought on by failed relationships - a frequent subject in her songs - and even suicide.
A week ago, friends and family said she talked of committing suicide. Although the medical examiner hasn't verified it, they say she took her life last week in her New York apartment before a scheduled performance at the fabled Apollo Theatre.
``All she wanted was love and sincereness,'' said Frank D. Sheffield, Hyman's friend for 10 years and the former manager for Hampton University's jazz station, as his voice trailed off.
During her show at Hampton University in 1992, Sheffield said, he vividly remembered Hyman's animated between-song patter and her style of mingling with the audience as she performed.
``One segment of the show, I asked her to sing `Was Yesterday Really Such a Long Time Ago.' '' Hyman was often asked to sing special requests from the audience. Seated in the front row in Ogden Hall auditorium, Sheffield became a part of her on-stage antics.
``She said: `You asked for this' and she sat on my lap and sang the song. Midway through the song, she forgot some of the words, and I continued singing. It was one of the greatest moments in my life.''
Almost a week after the diva's death, friends, well-wishers and entertainers planned to pay tribute to the lady and her music during a three-hour celebration Thursday night at Charlie Parker's Birdland jazz club in Manhattan. Hyman would have turned 46 Thursday.
Organizers have dubbed the gathering ``A Toast and a Celebration of Life,'' to Hyman, who was acknowledged as one the most versatile and powerful singers of the pop era.
Jean Carne, a rhythm and blues singer and close friend of 20 years, said Hyman was concerned with occasional voice problems, losing some of her range, developing a huskier tone and not progressing in the business.
``Years ago she told me she was suicidal. I didn't believe her.'' Over the years, Carne said, Hyman abused drugs and alcohol.
Hyman was found in her New York apartment by one of her assistants and was pronounced dead June 30 at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center. The New York medical examiner's officer is still investigating her death, although police officials discovered pills and handwritten notes inside her apartment.
``The cause and manner of death have not been determined, but we should know sometime next week,'' said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the examiner's office, on Wednesday.
Hyman's recording career was erratic. She had released two albums over the past decade with Philadelphia International Records.
Still, she toured regularly. Last year, she gave more than 100 performances. Her onstage warmth and vitality more often than not carried the evening. Amazonian in beauty and stature, Hyman was famous for whispering her lyrics, then cutting loose with growls and purrs.
``She definitely knew her lyrics, although she never really had that super hit,'' said John C. Scott, associate producer for the Hampton Jazz Festival. He said Hyman had performed at least three times at the festival. ``Artists often carry baggage that we don't see, we don't have a sensitivity to it.''
Born in Pittsburgh but raised in Philadelphia, Hyman sang in the All-City Choir, toured with the group New Direction and played at various clubs. She formed her own group, Phyllis Hyman and the P/H Factor, in 1974 and three years later caught the ear of Buddah Records, which released her debut album. During this time, Hyman also recorded with Norman Connors on his best-selling ``You Are My Starship'' album, as well as with the Fatback Band and Pharoah Sanders.
Commercially, Hyman fared better during a five-year stint at Arista, where she had three Top 15 R&B hits - ``Somewhere in My Lifetime,'' ``You Know How How to Love Me'' and ``Can't We Fall in Love Again.''
In 1986 Hyman signed with Philadelphia International and hit the Top 15 again with ``Old Friend'' and ``Living All Alone.''
Songs Hyman chose on the ``Prime of My Life'' album in 1990 were introspective. ``When You Get Right Down to It'' was a story about a failed relationship. ``I Found Love'' was recorded when she wasn't in love, Hyman said during an interview to promote the album.
In an interview in 1981, Hyman indicated that success cost her her marriage and interfered with her relationships with men. She was separated - and subsequently divorced - from songwriter Larry Alexander, brother of jazz musician Monty Alexander. She never remarried.
In a statement prepared by Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff of Philadelphia International Records Wednesday, Hyman was praised as one of the finest vocal stylists in contemporary music.
``We join those who mourn her, however we celebrate the unique and significant musical contributions which Phyllis gave us with her soulfully rich vocal interpretations.
``Her passing is a tremendous loss for us, the entire music community, as well as global audiences. We were in the midst of completing her forthcoming album on which she contributed numerous compositions when we received the news of her death,'' the letter read.
Gamble said Hyman's new untitled album, which was recently completed, will be released within the next two months. She collaborated on and wrote many songs on the album, he said.
Hyman maintained a busy performance schedule, appeared on Broadway in ``Sophisticated Ladies'' for almost three years (earning a Tony nomination) and made cameo appearances in Spike Lee's ``School Daze'' and other films.
Carne said she first met Hyman at Mickel's, a small club in Manhattan. She said she was going to do a local production and started looking for a singer to take her place. ``That's when first heard her powerful voice. She was a really sweet girl with all this talent. She was very aggressive and assertive.''
The two became close friends, exchanging vocal secrets, playing several musical tours together and supporting each other's career decisions.
``I remember she joined Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous in the 1980s,'' Carne said. ``I was happy for her. She was during really well. She had stopped everything but the cigarettes. After that, we talked for months. We would read daily affirmations from the Bible and we would pray together on the phone. And after a few months, I stopped hearing from her.
``She also felt like she was losing her voice. She had begun losing some of her upper range. And if you can't hit note or belt it out, you were nothing.''
Carne said she remembers Hyman saying `` `When I don't have a man, I eat.' You never saw those personality deficiencies on stage.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORP.
Rhythm and blues singer Phyllis Hyman committed suicide on June 30.
by CNB