Esther Phillips
December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984
Esther Phillips was one of the premier female R&B singers of the 1950s. It was R&B impresario Johnny Otis, who first recognized Phillips’ talent when, at 14, she won a talent show at his night club. Otis produced her earliest recordings and put her in his traveling R&B show under the name of Little Esther. Phillips recorded several hits in the early ’50s, but an addiction to drugs slowed her descent down and eventually sidelined her in 1954. She mounted a comeback once cleaned up in the early ’60s and began releasing hit records again. One recording in particular, a version of the Beatles’ “And I Love Him” prompted the Fab Four to fly her to England to perform. The disco era was kind to Phillips as she was able to adapt her sound to appease a new generation of dancing fans. She had some of her biggest successes during that time. Unfortunately, she could never quite shake her addictions. She died at the age of 48 of liver and kidney failure attributed to many years of alcohol and heroin dependency.
What You Should Own
Thank you so much for remembering
ESTHER PHILLIPS and keeping her alive
in memory!
I was with her for the last twelve
years of her life and with her in
Caifornia when she passed. I still miss her!
I purchased the Beatles “And I love Him” on 45rpm back whenever. I agree with John Lennon, the best version of the song ever…. She was a great performer and not forgotten