(March 11, 2019) Back in 1979, the music world lost a giant of a performer, one who has become more revered in the forty years since her death. Minnie Riperton died tragically that year at age 31 of breast cancer. One the eve of her passing, she left a gift for the world, in the form of her fifth album, Minnie. And with it, an appropriately titled single that is still on my personal rotation today: the beautiful ballad "Memory Lane."
(March 11, 2019) Back in 1979, the music world lost a giant of a performer, one who has become more revered in the forty years since her death. Minnie Riperton died tragically that year at age 31 of breast cancer. One the eve of her passing, she left a gift for the world, in the form of her fifth album, Minnie. And with it, an appropriately titled single that is still on my personal rotation today: the beautiful ballad "Memory Lane."
Now, forty years later, another wonderful singer and performer has created a tribute to Minnie Riperton in her own engaging version of "Memory Lane," coming from her recent album Power of Love. Like Riperton's original take on the song, Fiddmont's is driven by her sweet as honey vocals, accented by a tasteful, adult soul backdrop and -- of course -- beautiful backing vocal arrangements, all nicely updated to 2019. The song straddles the line of paying homage to the original while staking its own worthy ground.
And so I now happily have two engaging versions of this song in my rotation. Lynne, thanks for recording this song. And for those SoulTrackers who don't know "Memory Lane," now is a good time to discover it via this beautiful new cover. Check it out below.
By Chris Rizik
Lynne Fiddmont - "Memory Lane"