On the day of her death, twenty-eight years ago, we look at some of Nancy LaMott's music.
Twenty-eight years ago Nancy LaMott died. The cabaret communtiy was in a deeply felt collective state of mourning. She was beloved by all, and well she should have been because she was the absolute best, as an artist and as a person. All these years later people still look to the Nancy LaMott light, continuing to recognize her as one of the great artists and interpreters of song. Every album she made during her life was a master class in storytelling, from the curation of the compositions to the arrangements to the order in which they appear on the album, for maximum storytelling. They are the albums that you put in the player, press start, and let go because each moment of each album is a moment of perfection in the world.
In 2020 I shared an article on Broadway World about my friendship with Nancy LaMott. Since there is little more to say (publicly) on the subject, the link to the story is HERE. But to honor the late, great genius I would like to offer a playlist of (some of) my favorite Nancy LaMott recordings. Since everyone everywhere knows the big hits like "Listen To My Heart" and "I'll Be Here With You" they are not featured on this music roundup. Instead, here are three songs from each album that I believe exemplify all the parts of Nancy LaMott, the singer, all the different ways in which she loved to tell her stories... well... almost all of them.
Enjoy the playlist and go and listen to the Christmas CD Just In Time For Christmas - the only Christmas CD that is essential for every month of December.
BEAUTIFUL BABY 1991
Skylark
Child In Me Again
In Passing Years
COME RAIN OR COME SHINE 1992
Accentuate The Positive
The Days Of Wine And Roses/Whistling Away The Dark
Talk To Me Baby
MY FOOLISH HEART 1993
My Foolish Heart
Laura
No Moon At All/Old Devil Moon
JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS 1994
I'll Be Home For Christmas
All Those Christmas Cliches
A Child Is Born
LISTEN TO MY HEART 1995
Have You Got Any Castles?
The Secret O' Live
Ordinary Miracles
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT GOODBYE? 1996 (Released posthumously)
Too Late Now
What A Funny Boy He Is
Downtown
LIVE AT TAVERN ON THE GREEN 2005 (Released posthumously)
The Waters Of March
Sailing On
The Promise
ASK ME AGAIN 2007 (Released posthumously)
Ask Me Again
Moondance
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Nancy LaMott SINGS David Zippel 2016 (Released posthumously)
Another Mr. Right
Loud Is Good
Just In Time For Christmas
SPECIAL MATERIAL
As I Remember Him - From Portia Nelson, This Life. This was Nancy LaMott's final recording.
This recording of I Love A Piano (arranged by Christopher Marlowe) is from an audiocassette Nancy gave me of a live performance at Tavern on the Green. I have kept it for myself all these years. Today, I am ready to share it.
I Love A Piano
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