Arista Heritage Series: Phyllis Hyman

The Arista Heritage Series set focuses on the late '70s and early '80s, when Phyllis Hyman—a veteran of the East Coast jazz and R&B circuit—was just breaking through to pop radio with “Somewhere in My Lifetime” and “You Know How to Love Me.” While many young female singers of the time were eaten alive by the industry machine, Hyman was more than prepared to capitalize on her breakout moment. Her inner strength resounds on these recordings, which still burn bright after all these decades. While it could be said that some of her contemporaries, like Chaka Khan, were larger than life, Hyman was deeper than life. Even her dance songs display a profound emotional authenticity and composure, more befitting of the jazz world where Hyman cut her teeth than the pop world in which she'd blossom. If you doubt her power, just listen to “Betcha by Golly, Wow” or “Kiss You All Over.” If all else fails, feel free to simply replay “You Know How to Love Me,” in which she absolutely leaps through the speakers, lifting listeners with her. Even in an era of transcendent dance tunes, it’s hard to think of another song so filled with life.