HYMAN, PHYLLIS - YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE ME

Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her music career spanned the late 1970s through the early 1990s, and she was known for her contralto vocal range. Some of her notable songs include "You Know How to Love Me" (1979), "Living All Alone" (1986), and "Don't Wanna Change the World" (1991). Hyman also recorded covers of popular songs such as "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "What You Won't Do For Love". Hyman performed on Broadway in the musical revue "Sophisticated Ladies" from 1981 to 1983. The show was based on the music of Duke Ellington and earned her a Theatre World Award and a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. She appeared in the films "Lenny" (1974), "School Daze" (1988), and "The Kill Reflex" (1989). Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest of seven children, and grew up in St. Clair Village, Pittsburgh. Her parents were Phillip, a World War II veteran, and Louise Hyman, a waitress. She began music training after leaving Pittsburgh and performed with the group New Direction in 1971. After the group disbanded, she joined All the People and worked with The Hondo Beat, later leading a band called "Phyllis Hyman and the P/H Factor". In 1975, she was signed to Roadshow Records/Desert Moon. Hyman moved to New York City, performing in clubs and providing background vocals for Jon Lucien's "Premonition". In 1976, she recorded with Norman Connors on the album "You Are My Starship", which achieved Gold status and included a remake of The Stylistics' "Betcha by Golly, Wow". Her first solo album, "Phyllis Hyman", was released in 1977 on Buddah Records. After Buddah was acquired by Arista Records, she released "Somewhere in My Lifetime" (1978), produced by Barry Manilow, followed by "You Know How to Love Me", which reached the R&B Top 20 and performed well on club charts. She also provided background vocals for The Beck Family's "Dancin' on the Ceiling" (1979). In the late 1970s, Hyman married her manager Larry Alexander; the marriage ended in divorce. She developed a dependency on cocaine during this period. Her first solo R&B Top Ten hit was "Can't We Fall in Love Again?" (1981), a duet with Michael Henderson, recorded while she performed in "Sophisticated Ladies". She also worked with Chuck Mangione, The Whispers, The Four Tops, and McCoy Tyner, and performed internationally. Hyman recorded "Never Say Never Again" in 1983 for the James Bond film of the same name, but the song was not used due to contractual disputes. After leaving Arista in 1985, she released "Living All Alone" (1986) on Philadelphia International, featuring tracks such as "Old Friend", the title track, and "You Just Don't Know". She recorded "Black and Blue" with Barry Manilow in 1987 and continued performing, recording for other artists, and touring. Her 1991 album "Prime of My Life" was her most commercially successful, including the number-one R&B hit "Don't Wanna Change the World" and other top-ten singles "Living in Confusion" and "When You Get Right Down to It". She appeared on Norman Connors' album "Remember Who You Are", with the title track becoming a minor R&B hit. Both the album and its single were RIAA Gold certified in 1992. Hyman was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression in the 1980s and struggled with substance use. On June 30, 1995, she died by suicide at her New York City apartment. She was cremated following an autopsy, and a memorial service was held at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Manhattan. Studio albums Phyllis Hyman (1977) Sing a Song (1978) Somewhere in My Lifetime (1978) You Know How to Love Me (1979) Can't We Fall in Love Again? (1981) Goddess of Love (1983) Living All Alone (1986) Prime of My Life (1991) I Refuse to Be Lonely (1995) Forever with You (1998) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.