Eva Cassidy is a phenomenon. Her album SONGBIRD topped the charts and has gone platinum. All her other albums have reached the Top 40, SONGBIRD selling 950,000 in 18 months. Her voice was voted was of the 'greatest of her generation' and her rendition of OVER THE RAINBOW is one of the most requested videos in TOP OF THE POPS' history. Her success is even more amazing since she has reached the top without expensive marketing campaigns; her success has come through the quality of her voice and word of mouth. Eva's story is the more astonishing in that in 1996 she died of cancer at the age of 33, virtually unknown outside the Washington area where she grew up and performed. It was only when Terry Wogan played her version of OVER THE RAINBOW two years ago that her incredible career really began. Her fans know little about Eva partly because her friends and family are naturally reticent and wish to honour her memory. Now, for the first time, Eva's story can be told - by her parents Hugh and Barbara Cassidy and by Eva's friends.

Eva Cassidy is a phenomenon. Her album SONGBIRD topped the charts and has gone platinum. All her other albums have reached the Top 40, SONGBIRD selling 950,000 in 18 months. Her voice was voted was of the 'greatest of her generation' and her rendition of OVER THE RAINBOW is one of the most requested videos in TOP OF THE POPS' history. Her success is even more amazing since she has reached the top without expensive marketing campaigns; her success has come through the quality of her voice and word of mouth. Eva's story is the more astonishing in that in 1996 she died of cancer at the age of 33, virtually unknown outside the Washington area where she grew up and performed. It was only when Terry Wogan played her version of OVER THE RAINBOW two years ago that her incredible career really began. Her fans know little about Eva partly because her friends and family are naturally reticent and wish to honour her memory. Now, for the first time, Eva's story can be told - by her parents Hugh and Barbara Cassidy and by Eva's friends.

Rob Burley is a producer on TONIGHT WITH TREVOR MCDONALD and former producer of the JONATHAN DIMBLEBY PROGRAMME. Jonathan Maitland is an investigative journalist who has worked on the TODAY PROGRAMME and WATCHDOG as well as TONIGHT WITH TREVOR MCDONALD.

2004-05-12 I laughed and cried

I received this book today and read it cover to cover without putting it down. The book is and amazing tribute to her life and even after her death. The book is divided into chapters, each given the name of one of her songs - e.g. the last chapter is 'Songbird'. I thought i knew quite a lot about her life through her cousins website but you would not believe all the kind things that people say about her in her book. We learn about her whole life, the things she had to cope with when she went to school, her musical career, artistic career, jobs she had, and what she thought of her music.

I would highly recommend this to everyone and would give it at least 10 stars if i was able to. it gives you explinations and delves deep into her life through her parents, friends, family and those that came into contact with her, including Terry Wogan and others at the BBC.

I really did laugh and cry while reading this and you can see the passion she had in her life as she has in her music. You even get an insight to Chuck Brown to find out that he is just as nervous before a show as Eva was. A must read for all the fans.