Singer Phoebe Snow Has Died

Phoebe Snow, best known for the #5 1975 hit, "Poetry Man," died Tuesday (April 26) from complications of a brain hemorrhage she suffered last year. She was 58. Born Phoebe Laub in New York, she grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and took her stage name from an advertising character who appeared for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. First appearing as a folk artist in Greenwich Village, she was discovered by Shelter Records. Besides "Poetry Man," She also dueted with Paul Simon on "Gone At Last" (#23-1975)-- her only U.S. Pop top 40 hits (mainly due to contractual rifts with Shelter and other labels). Phoebe put her career on hold to take care of her brain-damaged daughter, Valerie, who was born in 1975 and died in 2007. She continued performing until her hemorrhage in January of 2010 when she was planning the release of a new album. She was placed in a medical coma and never really recovered. In 1975, Phoebe was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy award. She will also be remembered for singing the theme to the NBC-TV show "A Different World" and for the classic "Celebrate the moments of your life" commercial for General Foods International Coffees.