Song(stress) of the Day: Timi Yuro

In my previous post about the Brill Building Sound, I labored over what songs to highlight.  One of the hardest decisions was whether or not to include "What's A Matter, Baby?" by Timi Yuro, written by Clyde Otis and Joy Byers (Byers co-wrote a number of songs for Elvis Presley's musicals in the 60's).

Finally, I decided that Timi Yuro deserved her own showcase on my blog.  One of the most underrated and overlooked singers of the sixties, Yuro had a powerful, soulful style that belied her petite, demure appearance.  Once, while on tour with Frank Sinatra, he walked onstage during her performance and just looked at her.  She stopped the show and asked what he wanted.  He replied that he was just looking for the place where they plugged her in!

She was born Rosemary Timi Yuro in Chicago, Illinois in 1940.


Here are a few samples of Timi Yuro and her magnificent voice.

"What's A Matter Baby?"



"Hurt"  This is, by far, her biggest hit and the song that she is most known for, if anyone knows her at all.  This song, however, is probably best known as one of Elvis Presley's last hits in 1976.  Presley undoubtedly sang the song as a result of his admiration for Yuro.  Elvis would reserve a table for himself each time she performed in Las Vegas.



Here is Timi, live in Rotterdam the Netherlands in 1981 in front of an adoring audience.  Even twenty years after her initial success, her voice is still as powerful and emotive.
"You've Lost That Lovin Feeling/All Alone Am I"



Incredibly, Timi was diagnosed and treated for throat cancer two years before this peformance.  Sadly, she suffered a recurrence of cancer two years later and had to have her larynx removed, which effectively ended her singing career.  She died in 2004.

Bonus:

Among the singers Timi Yuro inspired, most notable was Elvis Presley.  Already a legend by the time her first records came out, Elvis was instantly impressed and moved by her performances.  Here are two that most clearly show her influence on his delivery of two songs, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Hurt".  Elvis, in all likelihood, saw her perform these two songs live in Las Vegas shortly before his own engagements there in the early 70's.


"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin"



"Hurt".  This version, without the later overdubs of background singers, is from what were later called the "Jungle Room Sessions".  Elvis was increasingly reluctant to attend regular recording sessions by 1976.  RCA, in a desperate attempt for new recordings, sent a mobile studio to Graceland.  Elvis and the band set up in the "jungle room", not the best setup for audio quality but the best the engineers could do.