Phoebe Snow Recalled

'Poetry Man' singer Phoebe Snow dies at age 60

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Phoebe Snow, the bluesy singer-songwriter known for her song "Poetry Man," died on Tuesday at age 60 of complications from a stroke she suffered last year, her manager said.
Snow released 16 albums, composed more than 100 songs and was nominated for a best new artist Grammy Award in 1975.
The New Jersey-born singer's "Poetry Man," about her infatuation with a man, was released on a self-titled 1974 album and was her first big hit. It led to her landing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Snow also had a hit song with another track, "Harpo's Blues," from the same album.

Soon after, Snow put her career on hold to care for her daughter, Valerie, who was born with a brain injury. Valerie died at age 31 in 2007, and Snow considered caring for her daughter to be her greatest accomplishment, her manager Sue Cameron said.

When Snow suffered a stroke in January 2010, she had just finished recording a collection of songs and was rehearsing with her band in anticipation of performing weekly shows at a winery in New York, according to her management firm.

But she never emerged from a coma after the stroke.

"Our treasured icon heroically fought for almost a year-and-a-half to come back, enduring bouts of blood clots, pneumonia and congestive heart failure ... until her body finally could take it no more," Cameron said in a statement.

Over the years, Snow performed with the likes of Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Chaka Khan and Jackson Browne.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton also was a fan, and Snow performed several times for him, including at private family retreats at Camp David. Snow could sing in a variety of styles, from R&B to opera.

Snow is survived by her sister, Julie Laub, her uncle Bob Laub and several cousins. A memorial concert is expected to be announced shortly.