It's not often that Broadway performers successfully make the transition from the stage to the recording studio, but this songstress is well on her way to do just that. A powerful voice and clever, reality laced lyrics has allowed her to capture the ears and hearts of many including the Blue Note Records brass, who signed her to a roster that includes jazz great Cassandra Wilson.  Who is Elisabeth Withers you ask? My first introduction to her was while watching Oprah Winfrey's Color Purple on Broadway, as Shug Avery she belted out notes that had me go home and look her up on the Internet. Evidently I wasn't the only one that noticed her voice, my research led me to find out that she's been a back up singer for Celine Dione, Cher, Luther Vandross, Mary J Blige and more and that's what landed her on the Broadway stage and eventually a Tony nomination.

Ever since I first heard her I kept saying it would be interesting if she ever decided to do an album, and fortunately for us earlier this year she did just that.

It Can Happen To Anyone is her debut CD and it does not disappoint, from the first note of the opening song “Simple Things” she rekindles memories of Gladys Knight and other soul singers from the golden age of R&B. I haven't heard anyone ever come that close to recapturing that sound but she does and does so effortlessly. The album however is more than a tribute to the bygone era as it's filled with plenty of modern influences, some gospel, some pop and even rock, the title track “It Can Happen” is the perfect example of this, part funk, part R&B and part soul. Other standouts include “Heartstrings”, “Listen”, and “Next To You”.

Definitely a brilliant debut, and hopefully a foreshadowing of what she plans on continuing to bless the world with.