Behind the Rainbow

A new edition of Behind the Rainbow, Johan Bakker’s biography on musician Eva Cassidy.

The Eva Cassidy phenomenon began too late for the woman herself to enjoy the fame, although whether she would have enjoyed it is another matter. This shy and sensitive singer preferred drawing and painting to performing in front of audiences and seemed disenchanted by the music business before she truly cracked it.

What is beyond doubt, however, is the power of the recordings she left behind. In this thoughtful and probing biography, Johan Bakker explored her brief performing career and the recognition that came after her death at the age of 33.

Before she became famous in the UK and Europe, Eva Cassidy had been a local performer in and around Washington DC. Including interviews with Eva’s friends, colleagues and family, this book traces her life, idealism and eventual disillusionment. Combined, their stories confirm that while everyone who knew Eva loved her in some way, few truly understood her.

Through it all her musical spirit still shines, making this biography both a searching analysis and a warm commemoration of a uniquely talented young woman.