Photo: Johnny Ace

"I can't understand after hearing her sing, why she was not as big as Janis Joplin. Lydia sang all the same venues--The Fillmore, etc., they both had the same big sound, the horns, the blues influence and the soul--and the range--free play with gospel notes. She was always great in feeling---as much as Joplin.

When I was about 20 years old, I listened to her record Sysiphus with songs like Mable John's "Real Good Thing" or "Funky on my Back" on it. I even remember listening to her "Ready to Live".record out in the early 1970's. I loved her funky, gospel style. Now that I had a chance to listen to her live, I am convinced that she is one of the finest singers on the scene today for soul. She sounds even better NOW than she did in her youth.

We were sharing the same dressing room--a tent--and she was so nice and down to earth! I found myself wanting to protect her, curiously. I felt that she had suffered greatly in her life, somehow. I saw that she was cold after signing autographs for an hour and I offered her my shawl--something I never normally do. She just put every other singer in the dust that day! Myself included! Here's to ya, Lydia Pense!"--Cathy Lemons