I had two cassettes I'd swap through my walkman during elementary school lunch.
Mariah Carey - Daydream and Green Day - Insomniac
My dad died(42) like Esther Phillips(48), from liver and kidney failure.
I've been drawn to her voice for quite a while, and as I fill in the gaps of her catalog, I realize I'm probably projecting some sort of interpretation of her pain into the way her singing evolves, but I can't help but allow that pain and the love she envelops it in to deliver me some sense of closure.
I also find the recordings beautifully balanced, sending Esther's voice through fully supported by the band and other sonic details that bring the stories in the songs she sings to life.