''Simply Eva'' is the eighth posthumous album by

Eva Cassidy Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996) was an American singer and musician known for her interpretations of jazz, Folk music, folk, and blues music, sung with a powerful, emotive soprano voice. In 1992, she released her f ...

, released on 25 January 2011, fifteen years after her death in 1996. It's a collection of 11 acoustic tracks with Cassidy herself on the guitar and an a cappella version of "I Know You By Heart". The Blues Alley version of "Over the Rainbow", which was not included in the '' Live at Blues Alley'' album, is on this album. Digital downloads include the Christmas single "Silent Night" as a bonus track. ''Simply Eva'' hit #4 on the UK Charts on February 13, 2011, and was certified silver and gold on February 18, 2011. The album debuted at #52 on the

Canadian Albums Chart The ''Billboard'' Canadian Albums is the official record chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music according to certain criteria during a given ...

Critical reception

Simon Gage of the

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...

noted "we have this celebration of the beautiful folk singer on a collection that is stripped back so that all there is left is the voice and a guitar." Thom Jurek of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

praised the album saying "If you're a fan, you need this; if you've been wondering what all the fuss is about, the naked intimacy of Simply Eva is among the most convincing arguments yet for her posthumous reputation." Andy Gill of

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

wrote "On previous releases, Cassidy has usually been accompanied by small ensembles, but here she's presented completely solo, with only her own acoustic guitar supporting her on such material as " Kathy's Song" and " Autumn Leaves", the intimacy of the latter leaving one feeling like an intruder on private reverie."

Track listing

# " Song"bird" (

Christine McVie Christine Anne McVie (; Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician. She was the keyboardist and one of the vocalists and songwriters of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, notably Chic ...

) # " Wayfaring Stranger" (Traditional; arranged by Eva Cassidy) # " People Get Ready" (

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the " Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious Afric ...

) # " True Colors" (

Billy Steinberg William Endfield Steinberg (born February 26, 1950) is an American songwriter. He achieved his greatest success in the 1980s with songwriting partner Tom Kelly (musician), Tom Kelly; together they wrote or co-wrote the No. 1 hits "Like a Virgin ...

, Tom Kelly) # "

Who Knows Where the Time Goes "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" is a song written by the England, English folk-rock singer and songwriter Sandy Denny. History Denny recorded a first demo of the song in 1966. It was the second song she ever completed. She again recorded the so ...

" (

Sandy Denny Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny (6 January 1947 – 21 April 1978) was an English singer-songwriter who was lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. She has been described as " guably the pre-eminent British folk-rock sin ...

) # "

Over the Rainbow "Over the Rainbow", also known as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", is a ballad by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg. It was written for the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz'', in which it was sung by actress Judy Garland in her starring role ...

" ( E.Y. Harburg,

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ' ...

) # " Kathy’s Song" (

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

) # "

San Francisco Bay Blues "San Francisco Bay Blues" is an American folk song and is generally considered to be the most famous composition by Jesse Fuller. Fuller first recorded the song in 1954, which was released by the World Song label in 1955. A " one-man band" renditi ...

" (

Jesse Fuller Jesse Fuller (March 12, 1896 – January 29, 1976) was an American one-man band musician, best known for his song "San Francisco Bay Blues". Early life Fuller was born in Jonesboro, Georgia, near Atlanta, United States. He was sent by his moth ...

) # " Wade in the Water" (Traditional; arranged by Eva Cassidy) # " Time After Time" (

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...

Rob Hyman Robert Andrew Hyman (born April 24, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, keyboard and accordion player, producer, and arranger, best known for being a founding member of the rock band the Hooters. Early life Hyman started taking piano lesso ...

) # " Autumn Leaves" (

Jacques Prévert Jacques Prévert (; 4 February 1900 – 11 April 1977) was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. His best-regarded films formed part of the Poetic realism, poetic ...

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Wallichs Music Cit ...

Joseph Kosma Joseph Kosma (22 October 19057 August 1969) was a Hungarian composer who immigrated to France. Biography Kosma was born József Kozma in Budapest, where his parents taught stenography and typing. He had a brother, Ákos. A maternal relative wa ...

) # "I Know You By Heart" (a cappella) (Diane Scanlon, Eve Nelson)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

Official Eva Cassidy "Simply Eva" Album Website
Blix Street
Eva Cassidy Website
Managed by Laura Bligh, Eva's cousin
Eva Cassidy Artwork Website
Includes Artwork, Albums, Songbooks, Biography "Songbird"
ABC Nightline Feature on Eva Cassidy

Eva Cassidy "Simply Eva" NPR News
NPR
BBC Music Review
BBC

Muruch
The late singing star Eva Cassidy showcased on new acoustic album
Crossrhythms
Eva Cassidy is the voice that has enchanted listeners worldwide
Glasswerk UK
Blix Street to release "Simply Eva" by Eva Cassidy
CD Insight
Eva Cassidy's "Simply Eva" is BBC's Album of the Week
* Direct Current
Eva Cassidy: New album "Simply Eva"
Fame Magazine {{Authority control 2011 albums Eva Cassidy albums Albums published posthumously