“Let me take this time to say R.I.P. to Phyllis Hyman/Who never got the props that she damn well deserved…”—Phife Dawg, from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Baby Phife’s Return” (1996)

I’m a sucker for hour-long documentary shows so when I came across UnSung, the TV One network’s new series on overlooked and tragic Black musicians, I was hooked right away. The show (narrated by Al B. Sure!) is modest, with only four episodes in the first season: on the DeBarges, Donny Hathaway, the Clark Sisters and Phyllis Hyman. While it was fascinating to watch the sad tale of Donny Hathaway represented on screen, I was particularly affected by the story of Phyllis Hyman, who—just like Donny—ended her own life after a long bout with mental illness. Mainly because, unlike Donny, I’d never paid much attention to her music before. While I’ve enjoyed her uptempo cuts, like “You Know How To Love Me,” these are rare in her discography. Instead, Hyman is known for heartbreak-minded Quiet Storm fodder, the arrangements of which have always been a little too smooth jazz for my tastes (see her cover of Silky Smooth Grooves alumnus Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love,” an otherwise exquisite rendition tainted by Kenny G-style sax). However, after watching this episode and revisiting the material of this nature that Simone has compiled in our iTunes library, I’m open.

Watching the episode, I was struck by a few things. One, of course, being that you need to see her pipes at work live to see how serious they are. But also grace—this diva was certainly not a female version of a hustler. While she battled weight issues (among other demons, including drugs and alcohol) later in life, she was quite a stunning looking woman as well. Just look at some of these photos of a young Phyllis to see what I mean. Below, I’ve embedded a clip I feel really captures the essence of her greatness. It’s a performance of her signature tune, “Living All Alone,” from Nightlife, a short-lived late-night show hosted by comedian David Brenner (Check out the sweatshirt he’s wearing—it’s for Pips in Sheepshead Bay, the only comedy club in Brooklyn for many years until its demise about five years back. Also, who hosts a talk show in a sweatshirt?) Phyllis looks absolutely regal in one of her trademark crowns, and then proceeds to give a fascinating interview afterward (around 5:00) that Brenner probably didn’t deserve to get.