Roundup: A Nancy LaMott Playlist

Twenty-eight years ago Nancy LaMott died.  The cabaret communtiy was in a deeply felt collective state of mourning.  She was beloved by all, and well she should have been because she was the absolute best, as an artist and as a person.  All these years later people still look to the Nancy LaMott light, continuing to recognize her as one of the great artists and interpreters of song.  Every album she made during her life was a master class in storytelling, from the curation of the compositions to the arrangements to the order in which they appear on the album, for maximum storytelling.  They are the albums that you put in the player, press start, and let go because each moment of each album is a moment of perfection in the world.

In 2020 I shared an article on Broadway World about my friendship with Nancy LaMott.  Since there is little more to say (publicly) on the subject, the link to the story is HERE.  But to honor the late, great genius I would like to offer a playlist of (some of) my favorite Nancy LaMott recordings.  Since everyone everywhere knows the big hits like "Listen To My Heart" and "I'll Be Here With You" they are not featured on this music roundup.  Instead, here are three songs from each album that I believe exemplify all the parts of Nancy LaMott, the singer, all the different ways in which she loved to tell her stories... well... almost all of them.

Enjoy the playlist and go and listen to the Christmas CD Just In Time For Christmas - the only Christmas CD that is essential for every month of December.

BEAUTIFUL BABY 1991

Skylark

Child In Me Again

In Passing Years

COME RAIN OR COME SHINE 1992

Accentuate The Positive

The Days Of Wine And Roses/Whistling Away The Dark

Talk To Me Baby

MY FOOLISH HEART 1993

My Foolish Heart

Laura

No Moon At All/Old Devil Moon 

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS 1994

I'll Be Home For Christmas

All Those Christmas Cliches

A Child Is Born

LISTEN TO MY HEART 1995

Have You Got Any Castles?

The Secret O' Live

Ordinary Miracles

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT GOODBYE?  1996 (Released posthumously)

Too Late Now

What A Funny Boy He Is

Downtown

LIVE AT TAVERN ON THE GREEN 2005 (Released posthumously)

The Waters Of March

Sailing On

The Promise

ASK ME AGAIN 2007 (Released posthumously)

Ask Me Again

Moondance

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Nancy LaMott SINGS David Zippel 2016 (Released posthumously)

Another Mr. Right 

Loud Is Good

Just In Time For Christmas

SPECIAL MATERIAL

As I Remember Him - From Portia Nelson, This Life.  This was Nancy LaMott's final recording.

This recording of I Love A Piano (arranged by Christopher Marlowe) is from an audiocassette Nancy gave me of a live performance at Tavern on the Green.  I have kept it for myself all these years.  Today, I am ready to share it.

I Love A Piano