Blossom Dearie - 1970s and Later

1970s and Later

After a period of inactivity, Dearie recorded the album That's Just the Way I Want to Be (containing the cult song "Dusty Springfield", an ode to the British pop star co-written by Dearie with Norma Tanega), which was released in 1970. In 1974, Dearie established her own label, Daffodil Records, which allowed her to have full control of the recording and distribution of her albums. Dearie appeared on television throughout her career, most notably giving her voice to the children's educational series Schoolhouse Rock!. Some of her pieces in this series were written by her good friend Bob Dorough, the jazz singer and composer. Her voice can be heard on "Mother Necessity", "Figure Eight", and "Unpack Your Adjectives".

Songwriter Johnny Mercer, with whom she collaborated for her 1975 song, "I'm Shadowing You", gave one of his final compositions to Dearie for the title song of her 1976 Daffodil album, My New Celebrity is You.

In 1983, Dearie was awarded the first Mabel Mercer Foundation Award.

Her voice and songs have been featured on the soundtracks of several films, including Kissing Jessica Stein, My Life Without Me, The Squid and the Whale, The Adventures of Felix, and The Artist. She also recorded songs with other singers, including Lyle Lovett. She continued to perform in clubs until 2006.

Dearie died "after a long illness" on February 7, 2009, at her apartment in Greenwich Village, New York City. She was survived by her older brother as well as a nephew and a niece. Her interment was in Flushing, New York's All Faiths Cemetery.