Eva Cassiday Blew Me Away with her cover of Wayfaring Stranger....


It caught me by surprise to have my eyes already closed (because of work stress), sitting at my desk with a glass of bourbon.  I was cleaning junk up and Wayfaring Stranger comes on by Eva Cassiday, and I had no idea for a moment who was singing the song.  I was just listening without active listening. 

Well, I was grooving to her movements on this and I thought her tone was big, warm and bold with gobs and gobs of soul.  Wow.  It woke me up from some stress to experience a moment.  That's pretty great.  

Is Eva Cassidy worth a deeper dive?  I'm only superficially familiar with her and find her talented, if not a touch easy listening at times.  I can dig that.  Is her catalog diverse in sound scape and production? 

At any rate, what a version of Wayfaring Stranger, and it just so happens to be a  superb recording to boot!

128x128jbhiller

Her version of "Over the Rainbow", mentioned above, is incredible. You wouldn’t think anything more could be done with that venerable song, but Eva’s version is a testament.

Mike

She could sing any style of music and do it better than the foremost performer in that style.  And therein lies the reason she never attracted a big record contract. 
Producers couldn’t pigeonhole her in any one genre to market her.

Simply  the best!

Off topic, but another singer with an incredible voice who died at a similar age was Karen Carpenter. Also incomparable.
But of course she had tremendous commercial success in her short life.

Eva had the ability to interpret a song. She could add an essence or a substance to a song that creates a wondrous awe in me that leaves me baffled as to why it's touching me so deeply. It's hard to pick one song, but her rendition of "Autumn Leaves" is certainly one that stands out in this regard.

Whoa, she is good!  many thanks for this thread.

You might try Hans Theesink. Dutch, now based in Vienna.  Does a great job with blues reinterpretation.

Thanks again; I am very much enjoying Eva's music.