Eva Cassidy : MusicNotes-EdMullen

1963 – Eva Cassidy. Born: Feb.2 1963. Died Nov 2. 1996 at age 33.
Born In Oxon Hill, Maryland. Grew up in Bowie, Maryland

1980 – Her father, Hugh Cassidy, created a family folk music act, with
Eva and her brother Danny. Eva also sang for a high school
band called “Stonehenge”.

1986 – Lifelong friend Dave Lourim asked Cassidy to record
some vocals at a recording session for his soft rock group,
Method Actor. (The results were eventually reissued in 2002.)
At the studio, Cassidy met D.C.-area producer Chris Biondo,
who agreed to help her put together a demo tape.

1988 – The versatile Cassidy sings back-up on E.U.’s 1988
album, “Livin’ Large”, including the hit single, “Da Butt”. The
massive “go-go” dance single was featured in Spike Lee’s
movie, “School Daze”. Written by bassist and producer,
Marcus Miller. The legendary Miller produced, wrote and was
that funky bass player for Luther Vandross, as well as,
hundreds of other sessions for artists such as Miles Davis,
Herbie Hancock Whitney Houston, George Benson, David
Sanborn and Frank Sinatra (1984). Miller played bass on Tom
Browne’s landmark anthem, “Funkin’ For Jamaica” from
Browne’s 1980 Love Approach album.

1992 – “The Other Side” CD released. Chuck Brown, a Washington
D.C.-area record funk producer, recorded a CD of blues and
jazz standards. The set called “The Other Side” was released
in 1992 and it includes her stunning version of “Somewhere
Over The Rainbow”, with Eva on guitar, keyboards and
vocals. A tour followed, with Chuck’s showmanship shielding
the spotlight from the shy Cassidy.

1993 – A cancerous mole was discovered and removed from her neck.
She broke up with boyfriend, Chris Biondo.

1994 – The Blue Note label paired Cassidy with a jazz-pop outfit from
Philadelphia called Pieces of a Dream; they recorded the
single “Goodbye Manhattan” together, and Cassidy toured with
them that summer. She returned to D.C. and began playing
more gigs on her own, though she still made the occasional
appearance with Chuck Brown. Cassidy won a Washington
Area Music Award for traditional jazz vocals, that year. Later,
her diverse song selections on her audition tapes caused
executives to pass on signing her to a major label.

1996 – “Live At Blues Alley” recorded. 13 songs from her January,
two-night appearance. Songwriters of her choice were Irving
Berlin, Paul Simon, Sting, Johnny Mercer, Fats Waller, Pete
Seeger and Al Green. Eva also included classics like (they call
it…) “Stormy Monday” and “What A Wonderful World”.
-This was her only solo CD released during her lifetime.
-At her July CD release performance, she needed a cane.

1996 – While working as an artist, painting murals at an elementary
school, Eva took her bothersome hip to the doctor’s office to
be examined. It was not only broken but, it revealed that
cancer had spread throughout her body.

1996 – A September benefit show, in her honor, was staged and
Cassidy found the strength to give her last performance,
singing a show-stopping version of “What A Wonderful World”
accompanied by her acoustic guitar.

1996 – Eva Cassidy died on November 2, 1996. Age 33.

1996 – Cassidy virtually swept the 1996 Washington Area Music
Awards. Eva was honored her as Best Female Vocalist in four
separate categories! Blues, Jazz-contemporary,
Jazz-traditional and Roots Rock – traditional R&B,
in addition to naming her Artist of the Year.

1997 – “Eva By Heart” CD released. Including “Time Is A Healer” and
Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird”.

1998 – “Songbird” CD released. Washington D.C.-based, Celtic folk
singer Grace Griffith finally found someone interested in
releasing Cassidy’s music at the label she recorded for, BLIX
Street Records. 1998’s Songbird was a compilation from
Cassidy’s three previous releases, and when BBC Radio 2 Disc
Jockey, Terry Wogan started playing her version
of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” then “Songbird” started to
sell in the U.K.
-Then, the British music-TV show, “Top of the Pops” aired an
amateur video recording of a breath-taking Cassidy
performance of the Judy Garland classic, at the Blues Alley,
and were deluged with requests.
-“Songbird” became Number One in the U.K. and sold over a
million copies.

2000 – “Time After Time” CD released. Profiles of Cassidy began to
appear in American media, including segments on NPR’s
Morning Edition and ABC’s NightLine.
-“No Boundaries” CD was released despite family objections.

2002 – “Imagine” CD released. {10 songs} Includes John Lennon’s
classic title track, “Danny Boy”, Peggy Lee’s “Fever”, Gordon
Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain” -and the “Tennessee Waltz”.

2011 – “Simply Eva” CD released. New versions of her repertoire for
her devoted fans. Many versions with her guitar only.
So missed! Add a comment, if you like.

Eva – Recommendation by DJ MR.ED
Start with “Songbird”, but I know you will want more….
then…“Live From Blues Alley”

Music Notes compiled by D.J. Ed Mullen.
Eva’s CD liner notes, Steve Huey, William Cooper, James Gavin-Songbird liner notes, Bill Straw-Blix Street Records.