Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 in Washington, DC – November 2, 1996 in Bowie, Maryland) was an American vocalist described by the British newspaper The Guardian as "one of the greatest voices of her generation." She had a diverse repertoire of jazz, blues, folk, gospel and pop. Cassidy remained virtually unknown outside of her native Washington, DC, when she died of melanoma (which had spread to her bones) in 1996. Her posthumously released recordings have since sold in excess of four million copies Read Full BioEva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 in Washington, DC – November 2, 1996 in Bowie, Maryland) was an American vocalist described by the British newspaper The Guardian as "one of the greatest voices of her generation." She had a diverse repertoire of jazz, blues, folk, gospel and pop. Cassidy remained virtually unknown outside of her native Washington, DC, when she died of melanoma (which had spread to her bones) in 1996. Her posthumously released recordings have since sold in excess of four million copies, and in early 2001 the compilation album Songbird reached #1 on the UK album charts.
Eva Cassidy was the third of four children born to Hugh and Barbara Cassidy. From an early age, she displayed artistic and musical talent. When she was nine years old, her father taught her to play the guitar, and she began to play and sing at family gatherings.
While a student at Bowie High School, she did sing with a local band, called Stonehenge, and received considerable praise.
At the age of eighteen, Cassidy began her professional career, singing and playing guitar in a Washington, D.C., area band, called Easy Street. This band performed in a variety of styles, at weddings, corporate parties, and pubs.
During the summer of 1983, Cassidy sang and played guitar, six days per week, at Wild World, in Maryland. Her brother Dan was also a member of this working band.
Throughout the 1980s, Cassidy worked with a number of other bands, including the soul and Motown-oriented band The Honeybees, and the techno-pop band Characters Without Names, later called Method Actor.
During this period, Cassidy also worked as a propagator at a plant nursery and as a furniture painter in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1986, she met (bassist and recording engineer) Chris Biondo, who encouraged her and helped her find work as a backup singer for various acts. In 1990, Biondo and Cassidy hired the so-called "Eva Cassidy Band", composed of Chris Biondo, Lenny Williams, Keith Grimes and Raice McLeod, and she began to perform frequently in the Washington area.
In 1992, Biondo played a tape of Cassidy's voice for Chuck Brown. Best known as the "Godfather of Go-go", Brown is also a jazz and blues vocalist. This led to the first commercial recording of Cassidy, the duet album with Chuck Brown, The Other Side; which featured performances of classic songs such as "Fever", Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" and Cassidy's signature tune "Over the Rainbow". The album was released and distributed by Liaison Records, the label that also released Brown's Go-go albums. The duet CD attracted the attention of various record companies, but the offers all required Cassidy to pigeonhole herself within a single style (e.g., pop or jazz), something she adamantly refused to do.[citation needed]
In 1993 Eva Cassidy was first honored by the Washington area music community when she was awarded two Wammie awards for "Female Vocalist Roots/Traditional R&B" and "Vocalist Jazz/Traditional." The next year she was chosen to perform for the awards ceremony.
In January 1996, Cassidy recorded the album Live at Blues Alley, about which The Washington Post later commented that "she could sing anything and make it sound like the only music that mattered". [1] Cassidy was unhappy with her singing on the album, because she had a bad cold on the night of the recording; she began recording a studio album which was eventually released as Eva by Heart posthumously in 1997.
During a promotional event for the Live at Blues Alley CD in July 1996, Cassidy noticed an ache in her hips, which she attributed to stiffness from painting murals. The pain persisted, and, a few weeks later, Cassidy was diagnosed with melanoma. By the time of her diagnosis, the cancer had spread throughout her body. Cassidy's health rapidly deteriorated, and her final performance was in September 1996. At the performance, she had used a walker to reach the stage, sang "What a Wonderful World" in front of an audience of friends, and was subsequently admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital.[citation needed]
Eva Cassidy died on November 2, 1996, at the age of 33. She was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Washington Area Music Association.
Eva Cassidy was the third of four children born to Hugh and Barbara Cassidy. From an early age, she displayed artistic and musical talent. When she was nine years old, her father taught her to play the guitar, and she began to play and sing at family gatherings.
While a student at Bowie High School, she did sing with a local band, called Stonehenge, and received considerable praise.
At the age of eighteen, Cassidy began her professional career, singing and playing guitar in a Washington, D.C., area band, called Easy Street. This band performed in a variety of styles, at weddings, corporate parties, and pubs.
During the summer of 1983, Cassidy sang and played guitar, six days per week, at Wild World, in Maryland. Her brother Dan was also a member of this working band.
Throughout the 1980s, Cassidy worked with a number of other bands, including the soul and Motown-oriented band The Honeybees, and the techno-pop band Characters Without Names, later called Method Actor.
During this period, Cassidy also worked as a propagator at a plant nursery and as a furniture painter in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1986, she met (bassist and recording engineer) Chris Biondo, who encouraged her and helped her find work as a backup singer for various acts. In 1990, Biondo and Cassidy hired the so-called "Eva Cassidy Band", composed of Chris Biondo, Lenny Williams, Keith Grimes and Raice McLeod, and she began to perform frequently in the Washington area.
In 1992, Biondo played a tape of Cassidy's voice for Chuck Brown. Best known as the "Godfather of Go-go", Brown is also a jazz and blues vocalist. This led to the first commercial recording of Cassidy, the duet album with Chuck Brown, The Other Side; which featured performances of classic songs such as "Fever", Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" and Cassidy's signature tune "Over the Rainbow". The album was released and distributed by Liaison Records, the label that also released Brown's Go-go albums. The duet CD attracted the attention of various record companies, but the offers all required Cassidy to pigeonhole herself within a single style (e.g., pop or jazz), something she adamantly refused to do.[citation needed]
In 1993 Eva Cassidy was first honored by the Washington area music community when she was awarded two Wammie awards for "Female Vocalist Roots/Traditional R&B" and "Vocalist Jazz/Traditional." The next year she was chosen to perform for the awards ceremony.
In January 1996, Cassidy recorded the album Live at Blues Alley, about which The Washington Post later commented that "she could sing anything and make it sound like the only music that mattered". [1] Cassidy was unhappy with her singing on the album, because she had a bad cold on the night of the recording; she began recording a studio album which was eventually released as Eva by Heart posthumously in 1997.
During a promotional event for the Live at Blues Alley CD in July 1996, Cassidy noticed an ache in her hips, which she attributed to stiffness from painting murals. The pain persisted, and, a few weeks later, Cassidy was diagnosed with melanoma. By the time of her diagnosis, the cancer had spread throughout her body. Cassidy's health rapidly deteriorated, and her final performance was in September 1996. At the performance, she had used a walker to reach the stage, sang "What a Wonderful World" in front of an audience of friends, and was subsequently admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital.[citation needed]
Eva Cassidy died on November 2, 1996, at the age of 33. She was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Washington Area Music Association.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Songbird
Eva Cassidy Lyrics
For you there'll be no crying
For you the sun will be shining
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's all right I know it's right
And the songbirds keep singing like they
Know the score
And I love you I love you I love you
Like never before
To you I would give the world
To you I'd never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's all right I know it's right
And the songbirds keep singing like they
Know the score
And I love you I love you I love you
Like never before like never before
Like never before
Like never before
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Christine Mcvie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
The Star North Pole
For you, there'll be no more crying
For you, the sun will be shining
And I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright, I know it's right
To you, I'll give the world
To you, I'll never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright, I know it's right
And the songbirds are singing,
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
And I wish you all the love in the world
But most of all, I wish it from myself
And the songbirds keep singing
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before, like never before,
Like never before
Lexi C
There, now there's no reason to dislike this:
Lyrics
For you, there’ll be no cryin’
For you, the sun will be shinin’
‘Cause I feel that when I’m with you
It’s alright
I know it’s right
And the songbirds
Keep singin’ like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
Instrumental Bridge
To you, I would give the world
To you, I’d never be cold
‘Cause I feel that when I’m with you
It’s alright
I know it’s right
And the songbirds
Keep singing like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
Like never before
Like never before
Lolamae
"Songbird"
For you, there'll be no crying
For you, the sun will be shining
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright
I know it's right
And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
To you, I would give the world
To you, I'd never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright
I know it's right
And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
Like never before
Like never before
Sara Torraco
For you there'll be no crying
For you the sun will be shining
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright, I know it's right
And the songbirds keep singing
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
To you, I would give the world
To you, I'd never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright, I know it's right
And the songbirds keep singing
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
Like never before; like never before
Jj Moe
Hey, I just felt like sharing my story, so my mum gave birth to me when she was around 16, lets just say she didn't know how to care for a baby, because of that my grandma took care of me most of the time and sort of became a mother to me. She got diagnosed with cancer when I was 2 and was told she didn't have long left to live. My dad wasn't really in the picture but my mom started to care for me more, we moved away from my grandparents so my mum could continue with her studying. I don't have many memories from those years since I was so young, but I do remember almost always listening to Eva Cassidy when my grandma was visiting, when I was 6 and and was around 4 months into school my mum got a message saying we had to come to the hospital as fast as posible, because my grandma had gotten alot sicker alot sooner then they thought she would, which then again was fair thinking back to the fact she lived 4 years more then they thought she would. I remember getting to the hospital and seeing her on the bed, she was coughing up blood while trying to explain to me that the doctors were going to give her something to help her fall asleep and that when she closed her eyes she would never open them again, that's around when I started crying and I was trying to tell her that all she had to do was just not go to sleep and she'd live forever, she told me she loved me and would watch over me as an angel in heaven and we'd meet again soon. I remember being dragged out of the room while crying and trying to tell her to not go to sleep, I also for some weird reason remember every detail of the waiting room they put me in and keep in mind this was 8 years ago. Her dying was to me like losing a mother, ofc I have a strong bond with my bio mum but I still miss my grandma like a mum and Eva Cassidy's songs and covers always makes me think of her. I'm now 8 years later diagnosed with deppression, anxiety, trauma and ptsd, granted there are other reasons but this is the Main one. Eva Cassidy has really helped me growing up without that big part missing in my life and has helped me feel connected to my grandmother.
Now I know I'm only 14 but after seeing how hard my grandma faught to stay alive for the family and mostly me, I can tell you all that life is hard but it'll only get better if you fight, if you give up in all the small battles life throughs at you, you'll never win the war we call life
If you're still here and have read the whole thing, thank you for taking the time to listen to what I had to say it really means alot to me😊💜
Robin Mead
You darling young one. Making a personal request, as stranger. Take the time to be outside with nature. Sing to the songbirds. I can't do it anymore but I used to run, almost every day. I used to sing and chant while doing it. It was glorious. I was free. I was with nature. I was content. To this day, you can find me outside doing something as much as life allows. Don't bury yourself in a box. Love your past, have faith in the future and live the day! Bless you, young one.
kshelton100
Thank you for sharing your story. I’m so happy that you had a grandmother that you were so close too. I know you’re still hurting from losing her and especially so young. I’m 62 years old and lost mine 21 years ago and still miss her so much.
I will be praying for you. God is with you every step of the way and He loves you so much! Always remember that. I will be praying that you get the help that you need and go on to be an amazing mom and grandmother someday yourself. God bless you!
litchfiedr
What a lady and you have been through so much, you are 14 and I understand from personal experience the world and life seems such a hard and lonely place at times but you have your life ahead of you and your Grandma can be inspiration to you to go and get your dreams and fight for everything you want to achieve.. I hope life can treat you right and keep on going enjoy your life as much as you can...
BLACKPINK LOVE
Chear up now, dear!❤ let us all fight this battle with God!❤
Clare x
Your Grandma would be proud of you 💜
William Kean
My wife chose this song to be played at her funeral after battling cancer for two years , I still miss her so much.
Lyndsey Moody
She chose it so when you listened to it she could be with you..She sent you a few birds to watch over you, sending you blessings and hope something wonderful came into your life
angeloglasen
💔
Anna-Lena Jönsson
@Erica Stewart 9