Eva Cassidy's Lovely Christmas Song "It's Not the Presents Und 4 ^+ Q$ [& Y4 j( i1 [& B$ K# O/ m! J! R
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' Z k: |" J( O% [ |It's Not The Presents Under My Tree - ~+ W( B5 m- D8 b(Billy Poore/Tex Rubinowitz) 4 N4 f: t2 S; r, ^) |9 h1 I; S/ r. ]2 v3 H. Z2 R1 K
Here it is Christmas again this year - S( P3 e9 B/ EEveryone's filled with the season's good cheer! [, C: l3 Q4 `$ l- p V1 ?: G1 q
This is my Christmas love song to you4 E' {$ J, t' v5 z* M% R
For your holiday spirit all the year through( L+ v" Q- Q! ? J: @1 Z
Snow may not fall but it matters not9 p: s. p! ^5 l5 q% \5 w' C
The one thing I want I've already got: k7 _) B$ J; s! h- S" I: D- \# z# x
- K0 T. } s# ~8 T5 M6 g* F7 a) b'Cause it's not the presents under my tree 5 m& a: Z+ I* |5 F% J; YIt's your presence right here next to me ( Y" G3 z4 }3 i3 k 8 o& D! g7 M4 g+ l$ TGifts wrapped with ribbons don't mean a thing3 i2 R# L1 l' y Z ]- @3 D
My greatest gift is I'll wear your ring& t# a% G( X! U% X
To see in your eyes and what's in your heart ' H1 M) s' l& n% \* W) W& HThat's to know we'll never be apart* Y+ f& ^/ c$ {# {
And to share each day of the year with you & W8 K( ^6 ~; w1 m2 `9 PMakes all my Christmas dreams come true $ j# {8 N7 f' O6 y. J: k# ~* Q0 r7 K
'Cause it's not the presents under my tree" _; t; m$ g( Q6 P
It's your presence right here next to me }/ z9 Z) b; }' i6 v / h) S3 R9 N. R5 XYes that means more than a Christmas of white$ Q& q- ?; c, l7 U9 L; \9 r/ A4 P
Colored lights twinkling ever so bright 7 ^9 a* ^6 a! D# o; C7 |And when they sing of that Christmas of blue* t3 g# ~3 M! A: M9 K$ r
I feel so fortunate Santa brought you8 Z: y+ v8 R H: B Z4 |& A
Each day of the year you brighten my life - R; @) N/ B; J' t$ SAnd I thank the Lord on this Christmas Eve night / X4 R% ]+ }0 b4 b" V$ R2 z5 O. { ) f3 _9 U3 V- K* k* H' \1 ]% n'Cause it's not the presents under my tree + O# Y0 @1 Z# z/ n8 _It's your presence right here next to me+ ^! P% q4 M9 |5 H
3 ~ j* \% X2 v" w, z" l- K. x! ZI don't look for presents under my tree) ^ s8 M. O) Q* C2 ]
Only your presence right here next to me
Eva Cassidy - Summertime" a; W5 V z9 j' |+ W
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n tribute to Eva Cassidy and in celebration of Summer. This song can be found on the newly released "Somewhere" album available from the Cassidy family websites listed below or on Amazon.com. 7 ~( \+ y: Y% b1 T9 M/ M2 ?0 A & H' }+ [! m+ m& t& cEva Cassidy was a phenomenal American vocalist, arranger and guitarist who could and did sing a bit of everything; folk, blues, country, rock, r&b, standards, gospel and jazz. ! d' ^& V/ n2 h8 w
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Eva was born February 2, 1963 and raised in Maryland. By the age of three, it was clear Eva had a natural talent for art as her drawings were remarkably different from most young children. Eva's musical abilities also emerged early. Eva's father began teaching her guitar at age nine and recalls Eva singing solo with her guitar by age ten. . ^* y2 @4 M+ `( }3 H# K( B $ i! g) D: I$ z" G$ ~) yOver the years, Eva's art and music blossomed and greatly expanded. As an artist, Eva dabbled in a bit of everything; drawing, painting, cartooning, pottery and beadwork to name a few. As a musician, Eva played with a variety of people and bands but her musical talents and tastes were so broad, she befuddled the record companies who simply did not know how to market her. Several major record labels showed an interest in her, but by her early 30's, none had signed her.2 y. R. F8 o# V
! E3 ^' ^% Z; k9 ?& QAt the urging of her long-time friend and producer, Chris Biondo, Eva spent the money to record a live performance at Blues Alley in January 1996. Songs from this live performance can be seen on You Tube (two of which you can find in my Video Log). Every song she sang at that performance is incredibly beautiful, but Eva was not at all pleased with her delivery because of a cold she was suffering that night. Although terribly unhappy with the result of those recordings and at first refusing to have the album released, Eva finally relented and the album received great reviews in the Washington, D.C. area. The album and the actual video from that night are a national treasure. " Z. U/ P) o) `3 V" d' O- F6 _) E& h0 g3 d2 z1 P
Six months after Eva's live performance at Blues Alley, she began experiencing hip pain which she initially dismissed, thinking it was a result of being on a ladder while painting murals. In July of 1996, Eva was diagnosed with cancer and given the prognosis of having only three months to live. In September, Eva attended a party thrown in her honor at The Bayou. At the party, Eva sang what was to be her last song in public. She choose "What a Wonderful World". There reportedly was not a dry eye in the place.5 k) B, V: ^ c) F
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On November 2, 1996 Eva Marie Cassidy passed away in her parent's home surrounded by friends and loved ones. / [$ U& v5 Z+ z8 w9 ?
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Four years later, Eva's music was "discovered" in Britain. Posthumously released CDs have gone Gold and Platinum. While she is widely known in the UK, Eva is still relatively unknown in the United States. It is my hope that someday soon Eva Cassidy will be well known in her own country and that millions of people will enjoy her huge talent.% z( r, Q9 u! Q
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I'll conclude with one of my favorite quotes about Eva, made by Bruce Lundvall, President of Blue Note Records. Of Eva he said: + B8 s C5 v$ x( R, L$ x 6 O8 O; ~9 I& P" D3 O, o7 N9 d& c. j"She was a real artist, one of the great ones. She had the magic -- the thing that goes beyond being a really wonderful, creative artist. She had the touch of God on her head -- that touch of individuality and spirituality that made her stand out above all the others. She had that ... ) ^4 j6 G6 A2 P/ r, `4 C1 Q2 S& |5 q5 }: z: e
Herbie Hancock said it best to me. He said: 'You know there are good musicians in every field of music and there are some that are great, really great, but then there are those few who have that magic, that other dimension, that must come from God', and that's how I feel about Eva."- z% h: Z% r& | R& A
! ?6 v! y; a% ETo which I say, "Amen". / l9 {# N2 O. r, J& b & T7 L- A8 d F! ~+ Z/ }# k6 [7 HAs always, my heartfelt appreciation goes to Barbara and Hugh Cassidy for bringing Eva into our world and to Chris Biondo for believing in Eva and making it possible for us to still hear her.# v* \7 T) r8 R0 e* A) s7 Y
2 C! C" B3 v% h# C' LFor more information about Eva Cassidy's incredible music, art, life and legacy of inspiration, here are two beautiful websites created by members of Eva's family:' S( V$ r# I. R* \) s
0 Y8 }5 l& \# J8 L9 fhttp://www.evacassidy.com (books, artwork and cds are available on this site)" @) ^, H6 ]' l9 U3 A: W
4 }; z* w" N8 c* K& U http://www.evacassidy.org (a wonderful wealth of information)& K+ ` C: ]6 N; Q. }) f) Y$ Q, I# b
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And here's a link to a documentary on Eva Cassidy's story:$ _: m: m9 b Y* f8 |
0 W; }1 S* R% e; c2 lABC Nightline Program Eva Cassidy (aired nationally four times) D) p- V( h3 e1 L, h
. i1 Y( W4 G- n# M" |" ]http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video... , W0 z# S r/ _6 @* p$ x7 ^* ^/ }( y- W0 r. v! L$ X
BBC Eva Cassidy Story: , z* f; g4 q9 C ! X8 h: x) y8 i. ~# B6 Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sfRvX... & o, g! J5 W( K3 h9 h9 A; k8 ~9 [/ G* U0 A
Song Composer: George Gerschwin& {! Q1 G8 l* r) f2 h8 B
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Photographs: All from family album. . z' `# a, c) o) U. q x9 ~ {9 u / t8 F- B$ S) G2 _: D& w3 z$ ~, \. YUPDATE!!! 6 L1 X0 y3 @ G- O 3 y+ N* [+ b# F, d( i/ |- k# E% BA new Eva Cassidy album " SIMPLY EVA" is due out at the end of January 2011.# |, X$ _( w* Y, V4 b
If you have PayPal, it is possibly to order the "SIMPLY EVA" CD through this fine Cassidy family website: + e! X n! r! z5 P/ |1 qhttp://www.evacassidy.com/ $ f) Y- o, N6 ~% x* p: L- q5 E; r' I7 m3 K3 g1 R
Or you can pre-order the "Simply Eva" CD through Amazon: ; X4 g g, t" |3 Yhttp://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
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