The Independent - London, August 4th, 1995
Given the right breaks, Phyllis Hyman's soulful voice might have reached as many millions as Whitney Houston's, Patti Labelle's or Gladys Knight's have. Instead, Hyman had to settle for a cult following on the R&B and jazz scenes, though she did shine on Broadway in the early Eighties.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1950, Phyllis Hyman was the eldest of seven children. She grew up in Philadelphia listening to a wide range of music from James Brown to Nina Simone via Karen Carpenter and Minnie Ripperton.
Hyman sang first with a local choir and won a scholarship to develop her natural ability while als...
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