Phoebe Snow was a talented singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the 1970s with her hit songs “Poetry Man” and “Harpo’s Blues”. She had a distinctive voice that could span four octaves and a style that blended blues, jazz, folk, gospel, and soul. She collaborated with many famous artists, such as Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jackson Browne, and Chaka Khan, and performed at the Woodstock 25th anniversary festival in 1994. She also sang the theme song for the TV series “A Different World”.
However, Snow’s life and career took a dramatic turn in 1975, when she gave birth to her only child, Valerie. Valerie was born with hydrocephalus, a condition that causes excess fluid to accumulate in the brain, resulting in brain damage and physical disabilities. Snow decided to devote most of her time and energy to caring for her daughter at home, rather than placing her in an institution. She put her musical ambitions on hold and released only a few albums sporadically over the next decades.
Snow’s love and dedication for her daughter was admirable, but it also took a toll on her health and finances. She struggled with depression, weight gain, and addiction. She also faced legal battles with her former husband, Philip Kearns, who had abandoned her and Valerie shortly after the birth. She sued him for child support and alimony, but he claimed that Valerie was not his biological daughter. The case was settled out of court in 1989, with Kearns agreeing to pay $12,000 a month.
Valerie, who was not expected to live past her childhood, defied the odds and survived until 2007, when she died at the age of 31. Snow was devastated by the loss of her daughter, who had been her constant companion and inspiration. She once said, “Occasionally I put an album out, but I didn’t like to tour, and they didn’t get a lot of label support. But you know what? It didn’t really matter because I got to stay home more with Valerie, and that time was precious.”
Snow tried to resume her musical career after Valerie’s death, but she faced another challenge in 2010, when she suffered a stroke that left her in a coma. She never recovered from the stroke and died of complications on April 26, 2011, at the age of 60. She was mourned by her fans, friends, and fellow musicians, who remembered her as a gifted and generous artist and a loving and courageous mother.
According to Rolling Stone, Snow’s manager Sue Cameron said, “Phoebe was one of the brightest, funniest and most talented singer-songwriters of all time and, more importantly, a magnificent mother to her late brain-damaged daughter, Valerie, for 31 years. Phoebe felt that was her greatest accomplishment.”
