Eva Cassidy - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Tribute to the Extraordinary Eva Cassidy ~

I discovered the profound beauty and talent of Eva Cassidy just recently while recovering from surgery. Laptop surfing, I was searching for something to take my mind off the emotional anguish and physical pain of my recent wounds. Somehow I stumbled across the videos of Eva Cassidy's Live performance at Blues Alley.

From her first notes, I was stunned and captivated. And comforted. Her musical selection, interpretation, range, enunciation, sustaining notes, phrasing, rich timbre and vocal acrobatics are exquisitely overwhelming. Her power and softness are a constant marvel. Her delivery is perfection.

The sheer beauty of her music reaches very deep inside me and yet simultaneously transports me far beyond myself.

It is rather foolish to do what I've just done (and have never before felt compelled to do); put together a simple, inadequate slide show. Especially when we are blessed with the great and haunting footage of Eva's live performance at Blues Alley. But it is my humble, yet passionate thank you to Eva Cassidy for sharing her unforgettable music, art and spirit. Her voice is a conduit to something bigger, more profound and extraordinary than words can express.

My heartfelt appreciation goes to Barbara and Hugh Cassidy for bringing Eva into our world and to Chris Biondo for believing in Eva and making it possible for us to still hear her.

For more information about Eva Cassidy's incredible music, art, life and legacy of inspiration, here are two beautiful websites created by members of Eva's family:

http://www.evacassidy.com (books, artwork and cds (including the latest CD to be released 8/26/08) are available on this site)

http://www.evacassidy.org (a wonderful wealth of information)

And here's a link to a documentary on Eva Cassidy's story:

ABC Nightline Program Eva Cassidy (aired nationally four times)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd9pWLrjyUg


Composed by Harold Arlen (music) and E. Y. Harburg's (lyrics)

All photos from our personal family album

UPDATE!!!!! A NEW EVA CASSIDY ALBUM IS DUE OUT AT THE END OF AUGUST 2008. FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT LAURA BLIGH'S EXCELLENT WEBSITE:

http://www.evacassidy.org/eva/evanew.shtml

IT IS POSSIBLE TO PRE-ORDER THE NEW "SOMEWHERE" CD through this fine Cassidy family website:

http://www.evacassidy.com/