Carrie Fisher's Singing Career Was Impressive

It's still hard to believe that Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds have both passed away. Fans grieving for the icons have been given a gift, though, in the form of the documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. The film was set to premiere on HBO in March but was bumped up to a Jan. 7 release after the tragedies. Bright Lights is sure to bring up tons of tears, especially during moments where the show-stopping mother and daughter pair sing. With performances in musicals such as Singing in the Rain, it's well-known that Reynolds was an amazing vocalist, but Fisher also had an incredible voice. Fortunately, there are many videos of a young Carrie Fisher singing, which will make you smile and also likely cry, too. (I did.)

Bright Lights contains a sweet video of Fisher performing music at the young age of 15, when Reynolds pulls her daughter onstage to let her sing, and Fisher belts out "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The image of the two of them together onstage, a young Fisher with microphone in hand, is enough to make you a bit misty-eyed.

But that's not the only place fans are able to hear Fisher's fantastic singing skills. After her passing, a number of videos were collected that showcased Fisher's rarely heard voice. They range from the kooky and funny, such as a guest stint Fisher did on Laverne and Shirley where she dons a Playboy Bunny outfit and serenades Hugh Hefner and friends with a smokey and original version of "My Guy," to sweet and emotional, such as when her voice shines crystal clear as she sings a Star Wars Christmas carol during the 1978 holiday Star Wars TV special.

Inquisitive fans may also remember that Fisher was a guest on Ringo Starr's 1978 TV special Ringo, where she duets with him on a version of Starr's cover of "You're Sixteen." As noted by Ultimate Classic Rock, the special was not well-received, but I am confident that that had nothing to do with Fisher's delightful performance. Sadly, there are very few ways to find it these days.

Fisher's writing voice was astounding, which is perhaps one reason why she kept her singing voice a bit less public. But even in her later years, Fisher occasionally sang, and each time it was a treat. Perhaps most notably, she and her mother sang a touching duet version of "You Made Me Love You" and "Happy Days (Are Here Again)" on Oprah in 2011. You can watch that clip below but be warned, the performance is a lovely as it is heartbreaking, and you may need to take a break from whatever you're doing to cry it out.

Fisher's voice, in all its forms, will never not make me smile.