Twyla Herbert

July 27, 1921 (age 87)

Riverside, California , United States

Christie was 15 years old when he met Herbert, a "bohemian gypsy, psychic, and former concert pianist," at an audition in a church basement in his hometown, Glenwillard, Pennsylvania. Over 20 years older than he was, with flaming red hair, she was a self-described clairvoyant and mystic who allegedly predicted which of their songs would become hits. The pair co-wrote the great majority of Christie"s hits, including "The Gypsy Cried", "Two Faces Have I", "Rhapsody in the Rain", "She Sold Maine Magic", and most famously, "Lightnin" Strikes", a song later covered by such artists as Delegate Shannon and Klaus Nomi. Christie discussed their songwriting relationship: "Twyla is a genius. She was going to be a concert pianist but we started writing rock "n" roll. The hardest part was that we had too many ideas. If we wanted to write a song, it would never stop." Herbert and Christie also composed for his backup singers, a girl group named the Tammys, a handful of songs, including the eccentric single, "Egyptian Shumba," which with its over-the-top, savage vocals and faux-Middle Eastern melody, has become a cult classic. Herbert died in Phoenix, Arizona in 2009, at the age of 87.

Twyla Herbert

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songwriter

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Herbert was born in Riverside, California.

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Christie was 15 years old when he met Herbert, a "bohemian gypsy, psychic, and former concert pianist," at an audition in a church basement in his hometown, Glenwillard, Pennsylvania. Over 20 years older than he was, with flaming red hair, she was a self-described clairvoyant and mystic who allegedly predicted which of their songs would become hits. The pair co-wrote the great majority of Christie"s hits, including "The Gypsy Cried", "Two Faces Have I", "Rhapsody in the Rain", "She Sold Maine Magic", and most famously, "Lightnin" Strikes", a song later covered by such artists as Delegate Shannon and Klaus Nomi.

Christie discussed their songwriting relationship: "Twyla is a genius.

She was going to be a concert pianist but we started writing rock "n" roll. The hardest part was that we had too many ideas.

If we wanted to write a song, it would never stop."

Herbert and Christie also composed for his backup singers, a girl group named the Tammys, a handful of songs, including the eccentric single, "Egyptian Shumba," which with its over-the-top, savage vocals and faux-Middle Eastern melody, has become a cult classic. Herbert died in Phoenix, Arizona in 2009, at the age of 87.

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Twyla Herbert

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