Nell Carter - Back in the High Life

[ashernimrod]

rip nell cartter

[aharvey615]

there both are out of pain now god bless nell carter and her brother r.i.p

[bgotem2000]

Goosebumps...

[defoekeane]

finding happiness in life is so hard.i would never put someone down because they were happy and gay , good luck to her ,i hope she was happy in her later years

[defoekeane]

i love her i nearly cried listening to this , her life was marred by tragic circumstances

RIP Nell taken far too soon

[Love2Babyx]

RIP Nell! You are missed!

[SaulaRocksMyWorld]

Do you have the full thing?

[Jordan1991Carter]

wish i would of gotten ta know my dads side of my family my life would have been so much different but even though i neva meet yall i still have love for yall rest in peace

[yellowslacks]

One of my all time faves, god bless N.C.

[partonlvr]

I love her singing this song!! Her best version of this song was on the Dolly Parton variety show back 1988.

[Jem2Jerica]

I miss Nell

[BIGPLAYCITYBABY]

FANTASIA BARINO AND NELL CARTER SAME VOICE!

[allexx30]

@BIGPLAYCITYBABY , fantasia has nothing compared to nell.

[Nick715]

R.I.P. Nell:( Loved her.

[exxodus29]

Steve Winwood took these words and melody and turned them into a song. Nell Carter took these words and melody and turn them into a message. I think the words of this song is the perfect message for anyone who may be struggling with a situation in their life. With our economy the way it is right now, I'm sure a lot of people can relate to them. Although I like the version Nell sang on the Dolly Parton show better, I find myself listening to this song when I need a little lift. Thanks Nell.

[exxodus29]

Will someone please, please, please post the clip of Nell singing this song on the Dolly Parton show? I like that version much better. This one is OK, but the other version was more structured and Nell had more control of the song. I had never heard of this song until I heard Nell sing it in that clip. So please if any one has it please put it back up. It was taken down for some reason and I don't know why.

[minorboi07]

Carter died at the age of 54 on January 23, 2003, from heart disease complicated by diabetes in her Beverly Hills home that she shared with her partner Ann Kaser, and her two 13-year-old boys, Joshua and Daniel. Her daughter Tracy Ruth lived away from their California home. She is interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.

[wb12337]

Wonderful, just wonderful!

[gypsyrose54]

Outstanding...I loved Nell & her music so.

[hayli711225]

I also grew up watching wonderful ,amazing, beautiful,Nell:)I miss you Nell R.I.P.

[pluto4847]

@hayli711225 I was a fan too. I met her on a cruise ship, wasn't very nice to me. She was not very approachable.

Its sad because she was such a good person, but when I introduced myself she looked down at me.

Nevermind. God wish her well.

[jamesbnott]

She was great because she was gay .

[MusicEclecticArt]

@jamesbnott Umm. She wasnt gay.

[minorboi07]

@MusicEclecticArt yes she was Carter died at the age of 54 on January 23, 2003, from heart disease complicated by diabetes in her Beverly Hills home that she shared with her partner Ann Kaser, and her two 13-year-old boys, Joshua and Daniel. Her daughter Tracy Ruth lived away from their California home. She is interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.

[MusicEclecticArt]

@minorboi07 OMG. You MUST be a fanatic. GET IT BOI. WORK IT! Umm... Futher more... SING IT NELL!

[randyslovacek]

A great, great star. Unique and fabulous. THIS is a star. Celebrate.

[nealbrice]

Thank you Nell....Rest in Joy.... you are loved and missed...you are a gift that I thank God for each day...

[VanDowall]

Thank you, God, for lending us Nell Carter and her brother Bernard Taylor for the time they had here together. They both have passed on into Heaven and are happy. Tho'

I miss them in the physical sense, but their spirits live on in our memories. Be at peace, Nell and Bernard! We all love you!

[blamaxwell]

@VanDowall perfectly put!!!

[VanDowall]

@blamaxwell Thank you.

[shakobe1984]

I grew up watching Nell Carter on Gimme a Break in the 80's. The talent she showed us on Gimme a break was just a very small piece of this multifaceted individual. This lady is one of those unique Angels God gives us to enjoy. She was a very talented person and it was very sad to see her pass on. RIP Nell your missed here on Earth but we know you are singing in heaven.

[jc8135]

Could anyone out there post a song performed by Nell Carter on the Boston Pops special with John Williams? It was the first public performance of the song that John Williams wrote, titled Matthew, Mark, and John, I believe. Unbelievable performance....I'm sorry I've lost the old CD I had recorded of it. Please find and post!

[mtywilli]

I watched this on television when it aired and cried through many of the awesome performances if you have the whole show I would LOVE to see more of it

[intoronto79]

Nothing wrong at all with her being a lesbian, except for the fact that she was a Republican and George W. Bush supporter. So she basically supported discrimanating against herself and others like her.

[davidftl1]

So what if she was gay (does anyone really know) if she was str8...would she have come out and said I am str8??? A talent is a talent she is AMAZING. Her sexual preference does not impact her voice, just hope her kid(s) are ok now

[snakehands]

It's sad how many gay men died of AIDS in the 80s and 90s before we learned more about the disease.

[tranquility4all]

Many people NOT just Gay people died of AIDS.

The sad part was We knew about AIDS & those in power chose to do NOTHING. It was referred as the Gay Cancer.

People were stigmatized for having it. The Holier than thou Religious Right condemned people for having it & claimed it was God's way of punishing Homosexuals.

[snakehands]

That is true - lots of people died (and still die) of AIDS.

That whole thing about God hating gays or punishing gays is ridiculous (just my opinion).

[tranquility4all]

God does NOT hate Homosexuals.

Many so called christians hate Homosexuals !

[freeasabird12907]

me too . god is love.  he loves everyone

[nealbrice]

It is just a TV show...It aint real....wake up....no real person was harmed in the making of this TV show. Nell was Nell way before "Gimme a Break" was ever a though in someone's mind.

[mikechitown]

Nell Carter owns this song, her version is much more soulful then the orignal.

[dorindaclarkcole]

Nell started out uneducated on the show , went out and decided to do something about it. Mammy was not allowed nor thought about doing those things to better herself. So that "Magical Mammy " crack that that women from "A Differnt World" said was garbage to me. You cant compare Gimme A Break with Mammy's story.

[dorindaclarkcole]

Nell moved out of the old house to a new Apartment in New York City with Addy, played by Thelma Hopkins and her adopted sons on the show who were, Joey Lawrence and Matthew Lawrence. She got a good job in New York city during the last season of the show. Now I ask those of you heard the story of "Mammy", what in the hell did Mammy know about achieving all of these academic accomplishment. The only similarity that Nell's role and Mammy had in common was cooking, keeping house, and family pride.

[dorindaclarkcole]

Nell's character dropped out of high school to be a singer, befriended the police chief and his wife and kids, wife died, Nell had filled in the void that the mother left when she died. Took care of the kids til they were grown, Nell went back to highschool on the show, got her diploma, graduated. Made money Keeping the house in order. Went wherever she pleased while living there. Chief died, Nell went to college while still living in The Chief's house with the kids that were still at home.

[dorindaclarkcole]

There was a tv special on VH1 called, "Black In The 80s" and the actress who played Freddie from the sitcom "A Different World" made a statement that I thought was a little uncalled for. She said, "I referred to Nell Carter's roll in Gimme A Break as the Magical Mammy Role". For those who dont know Mammy was from slavery times. That's what the bitch who played Freddie was trying to say. She's saying that Nell basically played a happy slave. I say "Bullshit" and I'm black. Mammy was trapped.

[dorindaclarkcole]

Nell was the first plus-size black woman to have her own sitcom on National TV. She set a standard that most people in the entertainment world would not admit. What I love about her was that she could sing and dance her butt off, Mama was light on her feet. Monique who starred in the sitcom "The Parkers" had to do stand up comedy in order to have her own show and thats good, but Nell was just a bonafide Entertainer who coul do it all. I think she made people of all shapes and sizes dream more.

[dorindaclarkcole]

Nell Carter was a legend. Plain and simple. There were critics in the entertainment industry during her time who felt that she was too good an actress to star as a housekeeper on her show back in the day. I guess they felt as though it was beneath her as a black broadway star who triumphed in the play "Aint Misbehavin". As a black person myself I think that her role as Nell Harper in Gimme A Break was strictly a mother figure who was adopted into the family. I have to give her props.

[dorindaclarkcole]

I like that alfit she had on.

[malenursetbay]

what a Goddess.... what a true Goddess and what a great loss to us all!

[nealbrice]

Nell, Rest in Peace, Rest in Love, Rise in Joy!!!! You are missed and Loved.

[AquSon]

Wow, what a touching tribute to her brother and during a time when no one wanted to talk about it. That took so much courage. Why do the good ones have to die so soon?

[jonthom11702]

I've never seen this before. She really had an incredible voice! Enough can't be said about her talent. RIP Nell.

[briantaz1]

i hope she made it to heaven

[nealbrice]

With that voice....God gave it to her and he called her home..so to hear each each day in person....

[jwhonolulu]

rest in peace sweet angel. your sweet voice is missed.

[iLuvCiconne16085868]

Nell sparkled my teenage years with Gimme A Break and other TV appearances. Today, she still sparkles my days whenever I watch her past performances, which are, just brilliant.

[BroncoMaverick]

What a TESTIMONY!!! You left us far too early, Nell - we love YOU!

[heystark]

She's brilliant and I will never forget her.

[tinaerwin]

nell now both of you are back in the high life just like you sang and said. im happy you were able to do what was in your heart and that you and your brother was close. I LOVE THAT ABOUT YOU. we should all be well educated about AIDS.

THANKS FOR GIVING US GAYS A CHANCE TO BE OUR SELVES

much love

kyra17

[lukezclay]

What a touching moment when she comes in and speaks...

[febiyour]

nell carter we still love you.

[grizzlyguy39]

God Bless you Nell!!!

[mikechitown]

A true voice has being silents, we miss you miss nell carter. no one can replaces you.

[deutche1978]

nell, you were great :)

[jcastle66]

Nell your such a special person when you were alive, and now you memory carries on in my heart. I miss your singing but yet one day I will be singing with you again. Until then all of my love

[bayoumassage]

i dont see how you think that the 2 things are related AT ALL. Shes performing at a benefit/fundraiser for AIDS, her brother died of AIDS, WTF does her supposed bisexuality have anything to do with her performing and dedicating this performance in rememberance to her dead brother? U do know that the 2 arent related. She was never public about her personal life cause why---ITS HER PERSONAL LIFE.

[Betty89w]

Let's be honest. Nell 'came out' about her brother that died of AIDS. At the same time, she kept her own bisexuality underwraps. Only after she died did everyone know she was gay; lived with her domestic partner. Shocking.

[heystark]

WOW that's a really negative comment about a woman who was such an amazing talent. You must be a miserable person. So sad for you. So wonderful for Nell and all the people she has touched in her life.

[jonthom11702]

My feeling is she came out about her brother so that his death wouldn't be in vain. Back then having AIDS was especially stigmatic. It sounds like her family disowned him and she was standing up on his behalf. How can anyone find fault with that? We should all be so lucky to receive that kind of a tribute.

[priscillaofmanila]

Straightforwardly, Nell came out about her brother etc. but at the same time, she kept her own life ultra private. She, too, was gay. Lived with a domestic partner. Many were surprised, as was I.

[dorindaclarkcole]

I couldn't beleive it when I found out she was gay. I loved her and still do but when they said she had a domestic partner, child I fainted from shock. I could not see her sleeping with a female. But Hey, if that's what made her happy then so be it. Who are we to judge. And I'm glad she didn't tell everyone her business. The media and some fans likes to believe that they have a right to know all of a celebrity business. They don't. What she did her free time was between her and her partner.

[dorindaclarkcole]

Besides, if she would have came out of the closet publically at that time it would have ruined her career.

[ninosimone]

she made me CRY :( .

[beautyandthebeastx]

This has just become my anthem. I wish she would of recorded an album. She has such a wonderful voice that is so soulful and makes you feel something!

[pjktj5]

this is a great video, she has an amazing voice

[Briarboyfl]

Thank you for uploading this. I recall watching the show, I even recorded it but have lost the vhs tape. I wish that I could buy the show. If anyone has more excerpts from the show, please share. HIV/AIDS is STILL (more than 15 years after the show aired) a HUGE problem on this planet. Live, Laugh, LOVE!

[benniemccoy]

I lost my copy of the show as well. I truly enjoyed and would certainly like to get a copy of this. It also has Anita Baker singing Fairy Tales.

[NealHyde]

I saw Nell sing this live at Heartstrings in our hometown, Birmingham.  Such an amazing voice and presence she held. She is so missed! Thank you for putting this on YouTube!

[allexx30]

is there a link to the dolly parton special

[exxodus29]

There was a video of Nell singing this song on Dolly Parton's show. I don't know why but I thinks it's been removed. It makes me sad because she sang this song way better on that show than she did here. Maybe Steve Winwood saw it and heard all the positive feedback and asked that it be taken down. I hope whomever posted it will bring it back.

[exxodus29]

Does anyone know what happened to the other video of Nell singing this song?? She sang it way better than she did here. Why does youtube just remove videos like that with no logical explanation!!!! It doesn't make sense.

[exxodus29]

You can tell that Nell's emotions begin to take over in the bridge of this song. And understandably so since she was dedicating the song to her brother. In my opinion, if you want to hear her better version watch her on the Dolly Parton special singing this same song. It's pure magic. Nell unique style really brought the words of this song alive.

[cyruslvr]

It was on Dolly Parton's variety show from 1987-1988. I agree, her version on Dolly was alot better. I wish I had that version in stereo in instead of the mono that was all there was when I recorded Dolly's show in

1987. I am trying to get Dolly to put her show on dvd.

[edadam]

would you upload your clip :) ?

[tylersid91]

R.I.P.

[cbrooks133]

Nell The GREAT!

[gus2you]

.....and the angel sang....

[KikiSazuki]

Nell, YOU ARE MISSED. But than again: We shouldn't worry ~ Should We? Because you're probably "Back in the high life again".

[exxodus29]

I love Nell's rendition of this song. I wish she had recorded it. However, I do think she did a better job on the Dolly Parton special. Stevie Winwood's version can't touch this. Nell took the song and gave it a gospel feel. It's just brilliant. I never even heard this song before until I heard Nell sing it on Youtube. I love it.

[uncleartie]

I so hope Steve got/gets to see this.  This was wonderful. Thank you for posting this.

[rpopboy67]

Thank You for posting this. A true Diva!!! I remember I was brought to tears by her performance when I watched the original broadcast. Thanks again.

[joeyflowazz]

a true performer, a true talent, where have they all gone, we need true feelings back in our music.

[joeyflowazz]

Just beautiful

[hbellinger18]

This video clip had a lot of meaning to it. Nell Carter brought down the house with this. Thanks for posting.

[seydisehir1]

an Interesting take on the winwood classic...

Berkin