Nancy was the first cabaret singer I ever heard. She was singing in a cabaret on Polk Street in San Francisco…call The QT. It was 1977 and I had just turned 20. I was just a green country kid from the Salinas Valley who found my life in SF. I’m 64 now. Nancy would pack the house on weekends. Folks standing out on the sidewalk looking in…just to hear her sing. Hearing her was the first time I ever cried when someone sang. I was spellbound. A man named Bob Bendorf was her pianist. I swear…I kept working there just to hear her sing! She made such an impression on me and I am her devoted fan still today. The world was a better place with Nancy LaMott in it. And I am grateful to have seen and heard her. ❤️
I had the privilege of seeing Nancy at Carnegie Hall for a Frank Sinatra tribute. It was held for three days, and I was taken one night as a guest. She sang "I Have Dreamed" from The King and I. I remember she was wonderful. When she died, I was shocked to read about in the newspaper. I, of course, have every cd she released during her life and those that were released after her passing. She was a gifted artist whose voice was silenced way too early. However, we are blessed for the many cds that enable us to enjoy her talent decades later and for all time.
My late wife and I liked watching Dick Cavett many nights on TV. Nancy, pretty much completely unknown appeared as a guest one night, and then again and again and again. We could never get enough of her and I imagined growing old listening to and watching her. Well I just passed 80 this year and my memories of Nancy singing live on and on and on. Magnificent talent.
I'm sad I didn't see Nancy in person. I was living in Manhattan and I was in my 20s. But I only discovered her after she was gone. Fortunately, we have her recordings, which will live on forever.
I had the great fortune to have heard Nancy live when I worked at Ted Hook's OnStage (NYC), 1980-81. She blew everyone away, leaving the audience moved and aware of the unique gift they had received. I rediscovered her years later through a great friend - a singer herself - a woman who also worked at OnStage (where we met and became great lifelong friends). I listen to Nancy very often, my favorite song being "We Can Be Kind". I found out she passed away via a CD cover I found in a record/book shop in Munich years later, during my years in Germany. She left us all so very blessed.
I PRODUCED AND EDITED THIS DOCUMENTARY FOR A PBS STATION. HUNDREDS OF NANCY'S FANS CONTRIBUTED THE FINANCING TO MAKE THIS DOCUMENTARY WHICH WAS SHELVED BY PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO CONTROL THE STORY AND MUSIC OF NANCY LAMOTT BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THEY OWNED ALL THE RIGHTS TO HER PERFORMANCES. THANK YOU FOR FINALLY MAKING THIS STORY AVAILABLE!
I saw Nancy LaMott at the three-night Sinatra tribute at Carnegie Hall in 1995. I'd never heard her before. One of those nights she sang "It Might as Well Be Spring" with just piano accompaniment. For those five minutes or so, she had the audience absolutely spellbound. It wasn't Carnegie Hall anymore; it became a quiet, intimate moment of cabaret.
In addition to her incredible vocal talent and musicianship, Nancy Lamott was very fortunate to meet someone of her equal like Christopher Marlowe. He was a masterful pianist and accompanist. They made magic together.
It's not mentioned in the film, but Nancy Lamott performed in public twice just nine days before her death. I saw/heard her sing a beautiful rendition of "Moon River" on Charles Grodin's CNBC show on Dec. 4, 1995. She passed away on the 13th. In tribute, Mr. Grodin rebroadcast the show which I recorded on a VHS tape. For unknown reasons, this performance is not available anywhere nor can it be found on the internet. It's now been more than 26 years, I wish it could be made available for public viewing.
Nancy's approach to a song, and her shimmering vibrato put me into orbit everytime. I knew her first music direcor in NYC ( the late Rick Jensen) who also adored Nancy. Three songs that she sang that absolutely put me away are "Listen to my Heart," "We Live on Borrowed Time (both written by the fantastic David Friedman), and "It Feels Like Home" (written by the incomparable John Bucchino). In some ways, Nancy conveyed feelings to us like a combination of Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, and Edith Piaf. Her voice was an oil painting.
the great Nancy LaMott...a voice for the ages....so many years since now and still I cry those final moments...discovered her in Dress Circle shop in London all those years ago...a unique voice so good it takes your breath away...still does as it did that first time I heard it
I discovered about Nancy LaMott and bought one of her albums literally 1 week before she passed away. I was torn apart. But I then bought all her stuff and still love her.
I learned about an Nancy LaMott shortly before her death and became a big fan of her music. I thought I’d watch a few minutes of this documentary before bed, but ended up watching the entire thing straight through - as usual, her music just pulled me right in. So great to be reminded all over again what a major talent she was.
wow! that song Nancy performed in New York @10:25 sounded very demanding. I don't know how anybody ever remembers all the words to songs, and then to perform them repeatedly at that same intense pace - kudos!
Have loved Nancy ever since I saw her perform in Regis & Kathie Lee. She sang I’ll be Home for Christmas and I remember thinking “that’s the most incredible voice and interpretation of that song”. I immediately began looking for her recordings but they were hard to come by in Toronto. I got my hands on a cassette of Come Rain or Come Shine and wore it out. The voice, the arrangements and the choice of songs was impeccable. The next time I found all her CDs was sadly also the day I learned she’s died. I was devastated. I had planned to see her sing in NYC. Thank you for posting this tribute video. It’s so nice to learn about the person she was and her story.
I head her sing " My Foolish Heart " on a radio station here in Ft. Worth that played the standards and I pulled over to the side of the road so I could write down the time it was played, the title of the song and hopefully the artist if they announced it again and they did. Bought the album, loved it and she became part of my life. I loved playing Foolish Heart to someone for their first time and watch their response.
for me she is up there with the very very best..maybe even better...al those years now and still she amazes me...the versatility and subtlety of that voice is beyond reason
Had a similar experience. I had just put XM Radio in my car and heard Rhode Island is Famous for You on the channel Frank’s Place hosted by Jonathan Schwartz, a champion of Nancy. My radio only shows 10 characters of data so it was NANCY LAMO. Who is that fabulous singer of a silly song I had never really noticed? I was at a conference in a strange city but still remember where I was at the time, like you remember where you were the Challenger blew up or The Twin Towers were struck. So I immediately went to the Internet and searched for NANCY LAMO. It did not immediately become apparent who she was. This was 2004 so the Web was not nearly as helpful as today. I was so taken with what I had heard, and I could see she had died about the same age as my first wife, also from cancer, that I bought the 6 CDs that were then available. When I got home from the conference and finally got to listen to the CDs, I was totally captivated by them. The clarity and sincerity of her interpretation is evident in every song she sings. I would say only matched by my other favorite singer who died way too soon, Karen Carpenter. BTW, I do not understand the politics of it, but I did prefer listening to Frank’s Place hosted by Jonathan Schwartz over SiriuslySinatra hosted by Frank’s daughter Nancy. Jonathan definitely featured LaMott and The Great American Songbook, along with Frank it’s leading practitioner Frank Sinatra, whereas Nancy focuses on her father’s legacy and the expanded catalogue of Sinatra recordings the family has access to. I remember hearing a regularly scheduled radio program in my Midwestern city he did on Saturday afternoons featuring Sinatra’s music. Kind of forerunner to Frank’s Place. As fate would have it, Jonathan is the son of Arthur Schwartz, author of the aforementioned Rhode Island is Famous for You. I have also heard Jonathan sing and he is not a half bad singer.
Listen to my heart..my wedding song..still makes me cry listening 🎶 to it.
Nancy was the first cabaret singer I ever heard. She was singing in a cabaret on Polk Street in San Francisco…call The QT. It was 1977 and I had just turned 20. I was just a green country kid from the Salinas Valley who found my life in SF. I’m 64 now. Nancy would pack the house on weekends. Folks standing out on the sidewalk looking in…just to hear her sing. Hearing her was the first time I ever cried when someone sang. I was spellbound. A man named Bob Bendorf was her pianist. I swear…I kept working there just to hear her sing! She made such an impression on me and I am her devoted fan still today. The world was a better place with Nancy LaMott in it. And I am grateful to have seen and heard her. ❤️
Amazing! She’ll be with us all, always.
She was not only a cabaret singer, she was a complete artist, gifted with a golden voice and a wonderful heart. What a warrior she was! RIP Nancy.
I had the privilege of seeing Nancy at Carnegie Hall for a Frank Sinatra tribute. It was held for three days, and I was taken one night as a guest. She sang "I Have Dreamed" from The King and I. I remember she was wonderful. When she died, I was shocked to read about in the newspaper. I, of course, have every cd she released during her life and those that were released after her passing. She was a gifted artist whose voice was silenced way too early. However, we are blessed for the many cds that enable us to enjoy her talent decades later and for all time.
An extraordinary talent and an extraordinary person, silenced too soon.
Thank you so much.
My late wife and I liked watching Dick Cavett many nights on TV. Nancy, pretty much completely unknown appeared as a guest one night, and then again and again and again. We could never get enough of her and I imagined growing old listening to and watching her. Well I just passed 80 this year and my memories of Nancy singing live on and on and on. Magnificent talent.
Nancy LaMott had a heavenly voice and the soul of an angel.
I'm sad I didn't see Nancy in person. I was living in Manhattan and I was in my 20s. But I only discovered her after she was gone. Fortunately, we have her recordings, which will live on forever.
God bless Nancy
I had the great fortune to have heard Nancy live when I worked at Ted Hook's OnStage (NYC), 1980-81. She blew everyone away, leaving the audience moved and aware of the unique gift they had received. I rediscovered her years later through a great friend - a singer herself - a woman who also worked at OnStage (where we met and became great lifelong friends). I listen to Nancy very often, my favorite song being "We Can Be Kind". I found out she passed away via a CD cover I found in a record/book shop in Munich years later, during my years in Germany. She left us all so very blessed.
thanks!
I PRODUCED AND EDITED THIS DOCUMENTARY FOR A PBS STATION. HUNDREDS OF NANCY'S FANS CONTRIBUTED THE FINANCING TO MAKE THIS DOCUMENTARY WHICH WAS SHELVED BY PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO CONTROL THE STORY AND MUSIC OF NANCY LAMOTT BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THEY OWNED ALL THE RIGHTS TO HER PERFORMANCES. THANK YOU FOR FINALLY MAKING THIS STORY AVAILABLE!
Love Nancy. Grateful for her gift
I saw Nancy LaMott at the three-night Sinatra tribute at Carnegie Hall in 1995. I'd never heard her before. One of those nights she sang "It Might as Well Be Spring" with just piano accompaniment. For those five minutes or so, she had the audience absolutely spellbound. It wasn't Carnegie Hall anymore; it became a quiet, intimate moment of cabaret.
In addition to her incredible vocal talent and musicianship, Nancy Lamott was very fortunate to meet someone of her equal like Christopher Marlowe. He was a masterful pianist and accompanist. They made magic together.
It's not mentioned in the film, but Nancy Lamott performed in public twice just nine days before her death. I saw/heard her sing a beautiful rendition of "Moon River" on Charles Grodin's CNBC show on Dec. 4, 1995. She passed away on the 13th. In tribute, Mr. Grodin rebroadcast the show which I recorded on a VHS tape. For unknown reasons, this performance is not available anywhere nor can it be found on the internet. It's now been more than 26 years, I wish it could be made available for public viewing.
Thank you, for posting this. Nancy LaMott was, and will always be, one of the greatest singing voices of her, or any, generation. #RIPNancyLaMott ♥
LOVE HER RECORDINGS. GREATLY MISSED.
Saw her on television a few times in the early 1990s, and I was absolutely mesmerized. She is greatly, greatly missed.
An angelic voice. I feel cheated that I never had the privilege to hear her in person.
Nancy's approach to a song, and her shimmering vibrato put me into orbit everytime. I knew her first music direcor in NYC ( the late Rick Jensen) who also adored Nancy. Three songs that she sang that absolutely put me away are "Listen to my Heart," "We Live on Borrowed Time (both written by the fantastic David Friedman), and "It Feels Like Home" (written by the incomparable John Bucchino). In some ways, Nancy conveyed feelings to us like a combination of Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, and Edith Piaf. Her voice was an oil painting.
On Kathi Lee Gifford's recommendation I bought Nancy LaMott's CD, Listen to my Heart. I was blown away. She's by far my favorite female vocalist.
the great Nancy LaMott...a voice for the ages....so many years since now and still I cry those final moments...discovered her in Dress Circle shop in London all those years ago...a unique voice so good it takes your breath away...still does as it did that first time I heard it
I discovered about Nancy LaMott and bought one of her albums literally 1 week before she passed away. I was torn apart. But I then bought all her stuff and still love her.
I learned about an Nancy LaMott shortly before her death and became a big fan of her music. I thought I’d watch a few minutes of this documentary before bed, but ended up watching the entire thing straight through - as usual, her music just pulled me right in. So great to be reminded all over again what a major talent she was.
Thank you so much for uploading this. Wonderful tribute to one of the greatest singers who ever lived.
Thank you for sharing this video. ❤️
Utterly
unique !!
Heaven must be a caberet and Nancy a star !
wow! that song Nancy performed in New York @10:25 sounded very demanding. I don't know how anybody ever remembers all the words to songs, and then to perform them repeatedly at that same intense pace - kudos!
Have loved Nancy ever since I saw her perform in Regis & Kathie Lee. She sang I’ll be Home for Christmas and I remember thinking “that’s the most incredible voice and interpretation of that song”. I immediately began looking for her recordings but they were hard to come by in Toronto. I got my hands on a cassette of Come Rain or Come Shine and wore it out. The voice, the arrangements and the choice of songs was impeccable. The next time I found all her CDs was sadly also the day I learned she’s died. I was devastated. I had planned to see her sing in NYC. Thank you for posting this tribute video. It’s so nice to learn about the person she was and her story.
That OLD BLACK MAGIC arrangement Mr Marlowe did for her is absolute magic. I can't listen to anyone else do it.
New Yorker...that black magic is really something else.
lovable singer!
If you’re singing at the Algonquin, you’re singing at the top
I head her sing " My Foolish Heart " on a radio station here in Ft. Worth that played the standards and I pulled over to the side of the road so I could write down the time it was played, the title of the song and hopefully the artist if they announced it again and they did. Bought the album, loved it and she became part of my life. I loved playing Foolish Heart to someone for their first time and watch their response.
for me she is up there with the very very best..maybe even better...al those years now and still she amazes me...the versatility and subtlety of that voice is beyond reason
Had a similar experience. I had just put XM Radio in my car and heard Rhode Island is Famous for You on the channel Frank’s Place hosted by Jonathan Schwartz, a champion of Nancy. My radio only shows 10 characters of data so it was NANCY LAMO. Who is that fabulous singer of a silly song I had never really noticed? I was at a conference in a strange city but still remember where I was at the time, like you remember where you were the Challenger blew up or The Twin Towers were struck.
So I immediately went to the Internet and searched for NANCY LAMO. It did not immediately become apparent who she was. This was 2004 so the Web was not nearly as helpful as today. I was so taken with what I had heard, and I could see she had died about the same age as my first wife, also from cancer, that I bought the 6 CDs that were then available.
When I got home from the conference and finally got to listen to the CDs, I was totally captivated by them. The clarity and sincerity of her interpretation is evident in every song she sings. I would say only matched by my other favorite singer who died way too soon, Karen Carpenter.
BTW, I do not understand the politics of it, but I did prefer listening to Frank’s Place hosted by Jonathan Schwartz over SiriuslySinatra hosted by Frank’s daughter Nancy. Jonathan definitely featured LaMott and The Great American Songbook, along with Frank it’s leading practitioner Frank Sinatra, whereas Nancy focuses on her father’s legacy and the expanded catalogue of Sinatra recordings the family has access to. I remember hearing a regularly scheduled radio program in my Midwestern city he did on Saturday afternoons featuring Sinatra’s music. Kind of forerunner to Frank’s Place. As fate would have it, Jonathan is the son of Arthur Schwartz, author of the aforementioned Rhode Island is Famous for You. I have also heard Jonathan sing and he is not a half bad singer.