This British artist is one of the most unique vocalists to come out of the 1970s, but so many people don't even know who she is. Probably since her music is not really soul or R&B. But it's not really folk either. And at times it's pretty funky, in a groove-oriented way. But it's not funk. So what does Linda Lewis do? I can't even describe it myself, but rare-groovers like myself scramble for her hard-to-find albums.
Linda's music is great stuff, but it's her voice that makes the tunes both weird and wonderful. At one moment, Linda might sing in a "normal" husky lower register with the conviction of a worldly-wise woman. In the next stanza, she may switch to the voice of a breathy, nasal, pre-pubescent lil' bit. It's her high, multi-octave voice that many people compare to Minnie Riperton's. I would compare the two ladies' poetic lovelorn lyrics before I'd compare their voices, but like Minnie, Linda's effortless vocals seem to bring the listener back to a time of innocence.
Unless otherwise noted, all written material copyright 1999, Melissa A. Weber.
No part of these pages may be reproduced on another site without my prior written consent.
Links:
www.lindalewis.co.uk
Gary Tutin's Linda Lewis Page
A bio on Alex's Home Page
Real Audio:
Fathoms Deep, 1973
May You Never, 1975
Selected Discography:
Say No More by Linda Lewis, Reprise, 1971
Lark by Linda Lewis, Reprise, 1972
Fathoms Deep by Linda Lewis, Reprise, 1973
Heart Strings by Linda Lewis, Reprise, 1974
Not a Little Girl Anymore by Linda Lewis, Arista, 1975
Woman Overboard by Linda Lewis, Arista, 1977
A Tear and a Smile by Linda Lewis, Epic, 1983
Whatever by Linda Lewis, Turpin, 1988
Find Linda Lewis Music:
Get vinyl from Gemm.com
Get CDs from Amazon.com
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