It was at The Bitter End club in 1972 that Denny Cordell, co-owner (with Leon Russell) of Shelter Records, was so taken by the singer that he signed her to the label and produced her first recording. She released an eponymous album, Phoebe Snow, in 1974. Featuring guest performances by The Persuasions, Zoot Sims, Teddy Wilson, David Bromberg, and Dave Mason, Snow’s album went on to sell over a million copies in the United States and became one of the most acclaimed recordings of the era.
This spawned a Top Five single on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Poetry Man” and was itself a Top Five album in Billboard, for which she received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The cover of Rolling Stone magazine followed, while she performed as the opening act for tours by Jackson Browne and Paul Simon (with whom she recorded the hit single “Gone at Last” in 1975). 1975 also brought the first of several appearances as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, on which Snow performed both solo and in duets with Paul Simon and Linda Ronstadt. During the 1975 appearance, she was seven months pregnant with her daughter, Valerie. Her backup vocal is heard on Paul Simon’s hit song “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” along with Valerie Simpson and Patti Austin, from 1975. She also duets with him on the song gospel-tinged “Gone At Last”. Both songs appear on Simon’s Grammy-winning 1975 album Still Crazy After All These Years.
Legal battles took place between Snow and Shelter Records. Snow ended up signed to Columbia Records. Her second album, Second Childhood, appeared in 1976, produced by Phil Ramone. It was jazzier and more introspective, and was an RIAA Certified Gold Album for Phoebe, with the Gold Album awarded on July 9, 1976.[13] She moved to a more rock-oriented sound for It Looks Like Snow, released later in 1976 with David Rubinson producing. 1977 saw Never Letting Go, again with Ramone, while 1978’s Against the Grain was helmed by Barry Beckett. After that Snow parted ways with Columbia; she would later say that the stress of her parental obligations degraded her ability to make music effectively. In 1979, she toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada with noted guitarist Arlen Roth as her lead guitarist and musical director. Her January 1979 cover of the Paul McCartney song “Every Night” reached #37 in the UK.[14] In 1981, Snow, now signed with Mirage Records, released Rock Away, recorded with members of Billy Joel’s band; it spun off the Top 50 hit “Games”.[citation needed]
The 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide summed up Snow’s career so far by saying: “One of the most gifted voices of her generation, Phoebe Snow can do just about anything stylistically as well as technically … The question that’s still unanswered is how best to channel such talent.” Snow spent long periods away from recording, often singing commercial jingles for AT&T and others in order to support herself and her daughter.[15] Later, in the 1990s, Snow’s voice was featured on commercials for Cotton Incorporated and their The Fabric of Our Lives campaign. During the 1980s she also battled her own life-threatening illness. [clarification needed][15] Snow sang the theme song for NBC’s A Different World during the show’s first season (1987–88).
Snow returned to recording with Something Real in 1989 and gathered a few more hits on the Adult Contemporary charts. Also, Snow composed the Detroit’s WDIV-TV Go 4 It! campaign in 1980. She sang Ancient Places, Sacred Lands composed by Steve Horelick on Reading Rainbow’s tenth episode The Gift of the Sacred Dog which was based on the book by Paul Goble and narrated by actor Michael Ansara. It was shot in Crow Agency, Montana in 1983.
Snow performed in 1989 on stage at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City as part of Our Common Future, a five-hour live television broadcast originating from several countries.
In 1990, she contributed a cover version of the Delaney & Bonnie song “Get Ourselves Together” to the Elektra compilation Rubáiyát which included Earth Wind & Fire guitarist Dick Smith. In 1992, she toured with Donald Fagen’s New York Rock and Soul Revue and was featured on the group’s album recorded live at the Beacon Theater in New York City. Throughout the 1990s she made numerous appearances on the Howard Stern radio show. She sang live for specials and birthday shows. In 1997, she sang the Roseanne theme song a cappella during the closing moments of the final episode.
In 1995, Snow participated in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True at the Lincoln Center in New York City. In addition to Ms. Snow, the Concert featured performances by Jewel, Joel Grey, Roger Daltrey, Jackson Browne amongst others. Snow sang a very distinctive medley of “If I Only had a Brain; a Heart; the Nerve”. An album of the concert was released on Compact Disc on Rhino Records as catalog number R2 72405.
Snow joined the pop group, Zap Mama, who recorded its own version of “Poetry Man,” in an impromptu duet on the PBS series, “Sessions At West 54th.” Hawaiian girl group Na Leo also had a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1999 with their cover version of “Poetry Man”.
In May 1998, Snow received the Cultural Achievement Award by New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. She was also the recipient of a Don Kirshner Rock Award, several Playboy Music Poll Awards, New York Music Awards and the Clio Award.
Snow performed for U.S. President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hillary Clinton, and his cabinet at Camp David in 1999.
In 2003, Snow released her album Natural Wonder on Eagle Records, containing ten original tracks, her first original material in fourteen years. Snow performed at Howard Stern’s wedding in 2008, and made a special appearance in the film Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom as herself. Some of her music was also featured on the soundtrack of the film. Her Live album (2008) featured many of her hits as well as a cover of “Piece of My Heart”.
Discography
Live
Verve Forecast 2008
Tracks: Shakey Ground, Something Real, It's All in the Game, If I Can Just Get Through Tonight, Poetry Man, You're My Girl, Natural Wonder, The Other Girlfriend, Piece of My Heart, Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu & With a Song in My Heart.
Musicians on the Live album: Phoebe Snow, Roger Butterley, John Korba, Fonzi Thornton, John Gilutin, Bob Glaub & Clint DeGanon.
Natural Wonder
Eagle Records 2003
Tracks: Sahara, How Beautiful, The Other Girlfriend, Ever Surprised, Lightning Crashes, Above the Band, Changed, Natural Wonder, Key to the Street, I Need Your Loving Baby & Going Home.
Musicians on the Natural Wonder album: Phoebe Snow, Jim Chapdelaine, Roger Butterley, Steve Burgh, David Z, James Mastro, Michael Mancini, Brian Dozoretz, Tim Tindall, Shannon Ford & Jon Peckman.
The Very Best Of Phoebe Snow
BMG Records 2001
Tracks: Poetry Man, All Over, Teach Me Tonight, Don't Let Me Down, Shakey Ground, Love Makes a Woman, Never Letting Go, Every Night, Do Right Man Do Right Woman, Going Down for the Third Time, Two Fisted Love, At Last, Something Real, Something So Right, Harpo's Blues & Good Times.
Musicians on the Very Best Of Phoebe Snow album: Phoebe Snow and others.
I Can´t Complain
Platinum Records 1998
Tracks: Brand New Me, Right to the End, Madame George, Piece of My Heart, Baby Workout, Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, A Case of You, Big Leg Blues, It Takes a Train to Cry It Takes a Lot to Laugh, Share Your Love with Me, I Just Can't Keep from Crying Lord & Never Never Land.
Musicians on the I Can´t Complain album: Phoebe Snow, Michael McDonald and others.
P.S.
Sony Music 1995
Tracks: Two Fisted Love, The Married Men, Do Right Woman Do Right Man, There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York, Autobiography (Shine, Shine, Shine), Shakey Ground, Teach Me Tonight, Love Makes A Woman, Something So Right & Every Night.
Musicians on the P.S. album: Phoebe Snow and others.
Something Real
Electra Records 1989
Tracks: Something Real, Mr. Wondering, Touch Your Soul, We Might Never Feel This Way Again, I'm Your Girl, If I Can Just Get Through the Night, Stay Away, Soothin', Best of My Love & Cardiac Arrest.
Musicians on the Something Real album: Phoebe Snow, Eric Rehl, Pat Thrall, John McCurry, Mick Taylor, Ricky Fataar, Anthony Jackson, Darryl Johnson, Joy Askew, Ivan Neville, Robbie Kondor, Joy Askew, Rob Mounsey, Jeff Bova, Robby Kilgore, David Frank, Ricky Fataar, Crusher Bennett, Carol Steele, Paul McGovern, Tom Scott, Randy Brecker, David Bargeron, John Faddis, Lou Marini, Robert Mintzer, Darryl Johnson, Ricky Fataar, Blondie Chapman, Lano Groves, Brenda King & Vaneese Thomas.
The Best Of Phoebe Snow
Columbia Records 1984
Tracks: Two Fisted Love, All Over, Poetry Man, Teach Me Tonight, Don't Let Me Down, Shakey Ground, Love Makes a Woman, Never Letting Go, Every Night & Harpo's Blues.
Musicians on the Best Of Phoebe Snow album: Phoebe Snow and others.
The Best Of Phoebe Snow
CBS Records 1981
Tracks: Two Fisted Love, All Over, Poetry Man, Teach Me Tonight, Don’t Let Me Down, Shakey Ground, Love Makes a Woman, Never Letting Go, Every Night & Harpo’s Blues.
Musicians on the Best Of Phoebe Snow album: Phoebe Snow and others.
Rock Away
Mirage Records 1981
Against The Grain
Columbia Records 1978
Never Letting Go
Columbia Records 1977
It Looks Like Snow
Columbia Records 1976
Tracks: Autobiography (Shine, Shine, Shine), Teach Me Tonight, Stand Up on the Rock, In My Girlish Days, Mercy on Those, Don't Let Me Down, Drink Up the Melody (Bite the Dust, Blues), Fat Chance, My Faith Is Blind & Shakey Ground.
Musicians on the It Looks Like Snow album: Phoebe Snow, James Gadson, Ed Greene, Harvey Mason, David Bromberg, Steve Burgh, Ray Parker Jr.,Greg Poree, Reggie McBride, Chuck Domanico, Sonny Burke, David Pomeranz, Kurt McGettrick, Mel Martin, Hadley Caliman, Bob Yance, Phil Kearns & The Waters Family.
Second Childhood
Columbia Records 1976
Tracks: Cash In, Two Fisted Love, All Over, Sweet Disposition, Pre-Dawn Imagination, Inspired Insanity, No Regrets, Isn't It a Shame, Goin' Down For the Third Time & There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York.
Musicians on the Second Childhood album: Phoebe Snow, Steve Gadd, Jimmy Young, Grady Tate, Hugh McCracken, John Tropea, Tony Levin, Ron Carter, Will Lee, Gordon Edwards, Richard Davies, Ken Archer, Richard Tee, Don Grolnick, Ken Bichel, Ralph MacDonald, Dave Sanborn, Phil Kearns, Jesse Dixon, Phil Ramone.
Phoebe Snow
Shelter Records 1974
Tracks: Good Times, Harpo's Blues, Poetry Man, Either Or Both, San Francisco Bay Blues, I Don't Want The Night To End, Take Your Children Home, It Must Be Sunday, No Show Tonight & Easy Street ("B" Side Of Single) (Bonus Track CD release).
Musicians on the Phoebe Snow album: Phoebe Snow, Steve Mosley, Steve Burgh, David Bromberg, Dave Mason, Hugh McDonald, Chuck Delmonico, Chuck Israels, Teddy Wilson, Bob James, Ralph MacDonald, John Sims & Persuasions.