On September 24, 1994 Eva Cassidy, a little-known singer from Bowie, Maryland performed at the now defunct supper club Pearl’s, in the state’s capital Annapolis. The diners sat in rapt silence in the small and dimly lit room witnessing the pure magic of the voice that would, many years later, enchant millions around the world.
In a set list that included many of the songs for which Eva would become known, including ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Over The Rainbow’ and ‘Songbird’, was her interpretation of ‘Desperado’, the first song co-written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey for the Eagles and the title track of their second studio album in 1973.
“Desperado has always been very special to me after hearing my sister, Eva and brother Dan perform it for me when they were young teenagers. Having been away from the family for several years I was totally blown away by their talent!” – Anette Cassidy
Exactly 30 years since that evening, Eva’s performance of ‘Desperado’ is released for the first time. Only with the advent of the studio technical breakthroughs of the past few years has it been possible to isolate an Eva vocal, for example, while deleting or replacing other instruments. Lenny Williams’ 2024 Rhodes electric piano/B-3 Hammond organ parts, reminiscent of the era that spawned the song, whilst different from the acoustic piano featured on the Eagles’ original recording, accompany Eva’s magical voice on this recording. No one better to span the decades than Eva’s now legendary musical keyboard partner.
“It’s always a privilege to work on an unreleased Eva Cassidy vocal and the minute I heard the vocal for Desperado I knew we had something special. This is one of Eva’s most soulful and beautiful vocal performances.” – Lenny Williams
Eva Cassidy’s musical pallet was the universe of popular songs previously associated with other great artists. Talking about Eva’s performance, at open mic nights at his club in Arlington, VA Mick Fleetwood said “Eva had found her unique voice to fearlessly carve her own path among the giants who came before.” Unlike athletic achievements measured in time and space, art is less a competition than a message from the heart. Perhaps Roberta Flack said it best: “Not only was Eva blessed with her voice, but also with her heart.”
‘Desperado’ now features as the finale to the previously announced Walkin’ After Midnight, the latest album from the multi-million-selling master interpreter. A dozen songs recorded at a small, one-off show in King of France Tavern located in The Maryland Inn, also in Annapolis, reveals an Eva you’ve never heard, bewitching as ever.
On that night in early November 1995, the stars aligned almost by accident. Fate intervened when two of Eva’s regular four-piece band didn’t make the gig. The result was an improvised performance, never to be repeated, which proved both Eva’s astonishing versatility and her magical, mischievous approach to music.
Thankfully, Eva’s bassist and producer Chris Biondo plugged a DAT recorder into the venue’s PA system, capturing the full concert, which took place a year to the day before Eva died, aged 33, from cancer. It was also two months before the Blues Alley concert which became the foundation of the shy singer’s posthumous career. Beloved around the world, Eva’s music also found fans among her musical peers from Adele, Elton John and Ozzy Osborne to Sting, Paul Simon and Paul McCartney.
None of Walkin’ After Midnight’s 13 recordings – among them the Patsy Cline title track, ‘Fever’, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ and ‘Summertime’, plus Eva’s only ever recording of the ZZ Hill song ‘Down Home Blues’ – has ever been released before. The Western Swing tag, a reference to the 1920s country music subgenre played primarily on stringed instruments, comes from a description doodled on her label’s track list.
In a venue too intimate for Raice Mcleod’s drum kit and with her always busy pianist Lenny Williams booked for another gig, Eva invited her friend Bruno Nasta, a classical, jazz and rock violinist from the D.C. area, to guest at the gig. Eva played her acoustic, Chris was on bass and Keith Grimes on electric guitar.
Proving the old adage that less can be more, the combo created a serendipitous, alternate context for some of Eva’s most popular repertoire. Brilliantly, Bruno morphs from a symphony violinist into a fiddle player who brightens the sound. Keith responds with a lighter touch as befitting a Western Swing band. Dancing in the space opened up by the absence of additional musicians, Eva’s vocals are as joyous and free as any previously heard and perhaps the most playful of her cruelly cut-short career.
With Walkin’ After Midnight, Eva’s extraordinary legacy takes yet another glorious, unexpected turn.
