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{{Short description|American songwriter}}
⚫
'''Twyla Herbert''' (July 27, 1921 - 2009<ref>[http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2009b.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com]</ref>) is an [[United States|American]] [[songwriter]] and is known for her long songwriting partnership with the [[singer]], [[Lou Christie]].
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Twyla Herbert
| image =
| birth_name = Twila Moody
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|07|27}}
| birth_place = [[Riverside, California]], U.S.
| origin =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|07|11|1921|07|27}}
| death_place = [[Phoenix, Arizona]]
| genre = [[Pop music|Pop]]
| occupation = Songwriter
| instrument = Piano
| years_active =
| label =
| current_member_of =
| past_member_of =
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} or {{Official URL}} -->
}}
⚫
'''Twyla Herbert''' (born '''Twila Moody'''; July 27, 1921 &ndash; July 11, 2009)<ref>[http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2009b.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com]</ref> was an American [[songwriter]] known for her long songwriting partnership with the singer [[Lou Christie]].


==Beginnings==
==Beginnings==
Herbert was 14 years old when she met Big Mike, a "bohemian gypsy, psychic, former guitarist, and self proclaimed [[God]]" at an audition in a church basement in her hometown [[Glenwillard, Pennsylvania|Glenwillard]], [[Pennsylvania]].<ref>Marsh, Dave. ''The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.'' Page 411. Da Capo Press, 1999.</ref>, where he was attempting to prove that [[Jesus]] was not a man, but a goat. Over two feet taller than her, with deep brown eyes, he was a self-described [[clairvoyant]] and mystic who allegedly predicted when the world would come to an end, though he was proven wrong several times, promising [[armageddon]] in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 2000.
Twila Moody was born in [[Riverside, California]], and as a child moved with her parents to Pennsylvania,<ref>1930 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Aliquippa, Beaver, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1995; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 9; Image: 386.0</ref> where she married Earle Herbert (d.1982). In the late 1950s, Lou Christie was 15 years old when he met Herbert, a "bohemian gypsy, psychic, and former concert pianist," at an audition in a church basement in his hometown, [[Glenwillard, Pennsylvania]].<ref>Marsh, Dave. ''The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.'' Page 411. Da Capo Press, 1999.</ref> Over 20 years older than he was, with flaming red hair, she was a self-described [[clairvoyant]] and [[mysticism|mystic]] who allegedly predicted which of their songs would become hits.<ref>Bronson, Fred. ''The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits''. Page 193. Billboard Books, 2003.</ref>


==Collaboration==
==Collaboration==
The pair co-wrote the great majority of Christie's hits, including "The Gypsy Cried," "Two Faces Have I," "Rhapsody in the Rain," "She Sold Me Magic," and most famously, "[[Lightnin' Strikes]]," a song later [[cover version|covered]] by such [[musician|artists]] as [[Del Shannon]] and [[Klaus Nomi]]. Christie discussed their songwriting relationship: "Twyla is a genius. She was going to be a concert pianist but we started writing [[rock and roll|rock 'n' roll]]. The hardest part was that we had too many ideas. If we wanted to write a song, it would never stop."<ref>[http://keepkey.yochanan.net/tammys.htm Lou Christie & The Tammys: Egyptian Shumba Home Page<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The pair co-wrote the great majority of Christie's hits, including "[[The Gypsy Cried (song)|The Gypsy Cried]]", "[[Two Faces Have I]]", "[[Rhapsody in the Rain]]", "She Sold Me Magic", and most famously, "[[Lightnin' Strikes]]", a song later [[cover version|covered]] by such [[musician|artists]] as [[Del Shannon]] and [[Klaus Nomi]]. Christie discussed their songwriting relationship: "Twyla is a genius. She was going to be a concert pianist but we started writing [[rock and roll|rock 'n' roll]]. The hardest part was that we had too many ideas. If we wanted to write a song, it would never stop."<ref>[http://keepkey.yochanan.net/tammys.htm Lou Christie & The Tammys: Egyptian Shumba Home Page<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


Herbert and Christie also composed for his [[backing vocalist|backup singers]], a girl group named the Tammys, a handful of songs, including the eccentric [[single (music)|single]], "Egyptian Shumba," which with its over-the-top, savage vocals and faux-[[Middle East]]ern [[melody]], has become a [[cult]] classic.<ref>[http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=TAMMYS&sql=11:hnfrxqekldfe~T1 allmusic ((( The Tammys > Biography )))<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Herbert and Christie also composed for his [[backing vocalist|backup singers]], a girl group named [[the Tammys]], a handful of songs, including the eccentric [[single (music)|single]], "[[Egyptian Shumba]]," which with its over-the-top, savage vocals and faux-[[Middle East]]ern [[melody]], has become a [[cult]] classic.<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p484844|pure_url=yes}} allmusic ((( The Tammys > Biography )))]</ref>

Herbert died in [[Phoenix, Arizona]] in 2009, at the age of 87.<ref>[https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/azcentral/name/twyla-herbert-obituary?id=23279995 Twyla Herbert, ''Legacy.com'']. Retrieved September 4, 2022</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=TWYLA|HERBERT&sql=11:gbfixqw0ldhe~T0 Twyla Herbert on Allmusic]
*[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p573183|pure_url=yes}} Twyla Herbert on Allmusic]
*[http://keepkey.yochanan.net/loutwylawriting.jpg A Photograph of Twyla Herbert with Lou Christie]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070810040056/http://keepkey.yochanan.net/loutwylawriting.jpg A Photograph of Twyla Herbert with Lou Christie (archived)]

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Herbert, Twyla}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herbert, Twyla}}
[[Category:American songwriters]]
[[Category:Songwriters from California]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:American pianists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh]]
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[[Category:American songwriters]]
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[[Category:People from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Clairvoyants]]
[[Category:Clairvoyants]]
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[[Category:Songwriters from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century American women pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]
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[[Category:20th-century American songwriters]]

Latest revision as of 02:55, 8 February 2024

Twyla Herbert
Birth nameTwila Moody
Born(1921-07-27)July 27, 1921
Riverside, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 11, 2009(2009-07-11) (aged 87)
Phoenix, Arizona
GenresPop
Occupation(s)Songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano

Twyla Herbert (born Twila Moody; July 27, 1921 – July 11, 2009)[1] was an American songwriter known for her long songwriting partnership with the singer Lou Christie.

Beginnings[edit]

Twila Moody was born in Riverside, California, and as a child moved with her parents to Pennsylvania,[2] where she married Earle Herbert (d.1982). In the late 1950s, Lou Christie was 15 years old when he met Herbert, a "bohemian gypsy, psychic, and former concert pianist," at an audition in a church basement in his hometown, Glenwillard, Pennsylvania.[3] Over 20 years older than he was, with flaming red hair, she was a self-described clairvoyant and mystic who allegedly predicted which of their songs would become hits.[4]

Collaboration[edit]

The pair co-wrote the great majority of Christie's hits, including "The Gypsy Cried", "Two Faces Have I", "Rhapsody in the Rain", "She Sold Me Magic", and most famously, "Lightnin' Strikes", a song later covered by such artists as Del Shannon and Klaus Nomi. Christie discussed their songwriting relationship: "Twyla is a genius. She was going to be a concert pianist but we started writing rock 'n' roll. The hardest part was that we had too many ideas. If we wanted to write a song, it would never stop."[5]

Herbert and Christie also composed for his backup singers, a girl group named the Tammys, a handful of songs, including the eccentric single, "Egyptian Shumba," which with its over-the-top, savage vocals and faux-Middle Eastern melody, has become a cult classic.[6]

Herbert died in Phoenix, Arizona in 2009, at the age of 87.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
  2. ^ 1930 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Aliquippa, Beaver, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1995; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 9; Image: 386.0
  3. ^ Marsh, Dave. The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Page 411. Da Capo Press, 1999.
  4. ^ Bronson, Fred. The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits. Page 193. Billboard Books, 2003.
  5. ^ Lou Christie & The Tammys: Egyptian Shumba Home Page
  6. ^ allmusic ((( The Tammys > Biography )))
  7. ^ Twyla Herbert, Legacy.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Twyla_Herbert&oldid=1204824597"