![]() ![]() The song became a hit for both Dionne Warwick and Jackie DeShannon. "The Love Of A Boy", was arranged and co-written by Burt Bacharach, but she refused to sing a follow-up, "What The World Needs Now", in the way he wanted. Though Yuro's more famously associated with "Hurt," it's "What's a Matter Baby" (whose title is angrily spit out almost as a single word) that is her masterpiece, where she shows all her incredible skills, mixing an infectious brew of pop/soul/country. "Hurt" was a remarkable recording début for Yuro - the power, the confidence and the feeling for lyrics are all in place. Her deep, strident, almost masculine voice, staggered delivery and the occasional sob, created a compelling musical presence, the white performer who astounded everyone with the depth of her music and fantastic songs such as the Bacharach's classic "The Love Of a Boy", 'Hurt", the Charlie Chaplin's staple "Smile", "Confessing", "Make the World go Away", "I Apologize" and "What's a Matter Baby". In 1961, when rhythm and blues artists like Ray Charles and the Drifters were crossing over into the US pop charts, the timing was perfect for a white, female artist with the emotional firepower of an African-American soul singer. She was also exposed to African-American culture through her friendship with black neighbours, who played records by Dinah Washington, an artist who left an indelible influence on Yuro's style. Against the wishes of her father - who beat her for singing - from seven to 10 she was encouraged by her mother to take operatic training, and recorded several demo discs. Timi was born into an Italian-American family in Chicago. Her million-selling debut single, "Hurt," introduced a performer of such profound poignancy and depth that many listeners assumed she was a man, an African-American, or both, and while Yuro never again achieved the same commercial heights, her finest records deserve mention in the same breath as Aretha Franklin, Irma Thomas, Dusty Springfield and the other soul queens of the era. The little girl with the big voice, Timi Yuro was America's finest white soul singer of the 1960s. She doesn't just sing the song, she lives it". "Dinah Washington once said of her, "Timi's voice doesn't come from the throat, but from the heart. ![]()
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