80s pop legend is no longer recognizable 35 years after his big hit and losing his voice following surgery
EIGHTIES pop legend Sam Brown has released new music 35 years after her big hit “Stop” – and lost her voice after surgery.
The chart-topper and daughter of top ’60s guitarist Joe Brown was a session singer for Pink Floyd, Spandau Ballet and Small Faces before her breakthrough hit Stop! published. in 1989.
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A series of acclaimed studio albums later, in 2005 she noticed that she could no longer sing or hit the notes she was used to, and two years later a cyst was discovered on her vocal cords.
Sam, 58, had to cancel a tour and underwent surgery, but it was unsuccessful and she never regained her singing voice.
After losing her singing voice 16 years ago, Sam had to reinvent herself.
she said Classic pop Magazine: “I tried everything possible. I worked for my friend who is a florist, I sanded floors, I did loads of things.”
“I’m very lucky because I have a small income from royalties, but because I was alone with two children I got quite a lot of debt and ended up having to sell my house.”
“But you know, things like that don’t really bother me, as long as you find a way to make it work it’s fine.”
Reflecting on her battle to save her talent, she said: “I had to have surgery a few times to remove polyps, which I suspect were because of the voice problem and not as an afterthought were responsible.”
“I’ve tried all sorts of things and none of them have changed [my voice]. It was really hard to deal with it.
“I think there’s still some kind of depression underlying it that will probably never go away because I’ve sung all my life and I absolutely love singing. I loved it.”
Undeterred, Sam founded a ukulele club that has grown into an online school with courses all over the world.
Her new studio album Number 8 was released in January.
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