Phoebe Snow, Dead at 58

[Warph]

One of the greatest voices in soul music.... gone forever.

Off to see the Poetry Man upstairs

R.I.P. Phoebe Snow

[larryJ]

"Poetry Man" singer Phoebe Snow dies.

From the Associated Press
 
NEW YORK  --   It wasn't long after the release of "Poetry Man," the breezy, jazzy love song that would make Phoebe Snow a star, that the singer experienced another event that would dramatically alter her life.

In 1975, she gave birth to a daughter, Valerie Rose, who was found to be severely brain-damaged.  Her husband split from her soon after the baby was born.  And, at a time when many disabled children were sent to institutions, Snow decided to keep her daughter at home and care for the child herself.

The decision to be Valerie's primary caretaker would lead her to abandon music for a while and enter into ill-fated business decisions in the quest to stay solvent enough to take care of Valerie.

Snow, who worked her way back into music performing world in the 1980's and continued to perform in recent years, died on Tuesday from complications of a brain hemorrhage she suffered in January 2010, said Rich Miramontez, her long-time friend and public relations representative.  She was 60.

Snow never regretted her decision to put aside music so she could focus on Valerie's care.  She was devastated when her daughter, who was not expected to live beyond her toddler years, died in 2007 at age 31.

After her stroke last year, Snow endured bouts of blood clots, pneumonia and congestive heart failure, said her manger, Sue Cameron.

Known as a folk guitarist who made forays into jazz and blues, Snow put her stamp on soul classics such as "Shakey Ground" "Love Makes a Woman" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" on over a half dozen albums.

Snow's defining hit, however, was "Poetry Man" which she wrote herself.  The song, anchored by her husky voice and fluid guitar, was a romantic ode to a married man.  It reached the Top 5 on the pop singles chart in 1975 and garnered her a Grammy nomination for best new artist.

A private funeral is planned for Snow, who is survived by her sister and other relatives.

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Larryj