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- B| Courtney Act |
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Let's
start off with an artist who looks like a supermodel and sings great as
well...Shane Janek is Courtney Act, and she looks amazing. In 2003 Shane
auditioned for Australian Idol as himself, but did not get far. Returning
the next day as Courtney, he wowed the judges and continued until being
finally voted off in thirteenth place. After the competiton she was signed
to the BMG label, and has released one CD single. Visit
his site or Click for more images.
"Rub Me Wrong / You Shook Me All Night Long" (BMG, 2004, AU) |
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| After Dark |
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After Dark is Sweden's most famous drag duo, consisting of Christer Lindarw and Lasse Flinckman. The group was founded in 1976, as they and Roger Jönsson, opened their own night club in Stockholm, called After Dark Club. Since then they've had numerous drag shows and been an important part of the Swedish LGBT cultural history. A career highlight so far was finishing third in Sweden's competition for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest. This new popularity no doubt paved the way for their 2004 CD release, "La Dolce Vita." Click for more or visit their site. |
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Marcel Andre |
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One of the stars of the famous cabaret Chez Nous, in Berlin, Marcel Andre appeared on two of the compilation albums issued of performances of the club, and released his own solo album in 1967. See the Chez Nous entry for more information. |
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Joey Arias |
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Joey Arias is currently Mistress of Seduction in the Las Vegas show "Zumanity," but his career goes back to the 80s, when he performed with Klaus Nomi and developed his talent for channeling Billie Holiday. I'm amazed he's not released a solo album but he came close, in 1999, when he and Sherry Vine issued "Starlust." But he's guested on a number of compilation releases. Click for more. "Mondo New York" (Great Jones
LP 6000, 1988, movie soundtrack), sings 1 song "Fish Out of Water" |
| Skip Arnold |
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Skip Arnold took his comedy routines across the country, playing in venues like the Jewel Box Lounge (KC) and the Annex in Chicago, where his very rare 45 rpm record was recorded. How can you miss with titles like "Welcome to Fairieland" and "Snow White vs the Watch Queen." Click for more. |
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| Michael Aspinall |
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Opera lovers may or may not appreciate the satire of the performances of Englishman Michael Aspinall, but it's captured well in the album, "The Surprising Soprano, Michael Aspinall." Click for more. "The Surprising Soprano, Michael Aspinall" (London LP 26537, 1977) |
| Erickatoure Aviance |
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That Gay Pimp Jonny McGovern has produced two smokin' tracks so far for House of Aviance member Erickatoure Aviance. From 2009 especially catch the video on youtube for "My Pumps." Find her music on iTunes or find her on Facebook and my page. Jonny McGovern Presents
Erickatoure Aviance "My Pumps," 2009 |
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| Kevin Aviance |
| Eric
Snead? Nah, Kevin Aviance is a much better name for this high profile
artist. He's had a number of Billboard dance hits, such as "Din Da
Da," "Alive," and "Rhythm Is My Bitch," and regularly
collaborates with Jr. Vasquez. Visit
his site, or click for more.
"Din Da Da" (Wave 50027, 6
mixes, 1997) |
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| Jim Bailey |
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A very popular illusionist was Jim Bailey, whose been performing since the early 70s, in Las Vegas, on television and in the movies, and of course on record. He appeared on "The Tonight Show" fourteen times, and on shows ranging from "The Lucy Show," "The Rockford Files," and "Ally MacBeal." His impressions were dead on, especially of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. He's released three recordings, the self-titled "Jim Bailey" in 1972, and the next year "Jim Bailey at Carnegie Hall," and finally, a CD in 1998 called "Voices." Since his albums were on a major label, United Artists, a coup in itself, several 45s were also released, unusual for a drag performer. See his website and click for lots more "Jim Bailey" (United Artists
LP 0598, 1972) |
| Babsan |
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Swedish bomshell Babsan is a current star in that country, with a very extensive website to tell all about it. She's appeared in quite a number of musicals, like "The Producers" "Grease" and "Rent," and she has several releases now, and it's a kick to hear "I Am What I Am" sung in Swedish. Click for more. |
| Crystal Balls |
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"Who You Callin' A Drag Queen?" Well, for sure Crystal Balls, and that was the title of her 1994 single. She also scored in 1997 with the wonderful "Drag Mix" which included the over the top "I'm Coming Out" and "It Should Have Been Me" and more. That appeared on the South Beach comp shown. Click here for her MySpace site or here for more. |
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| Byrd Bardot |
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Byrd
Bardot is perhaps a marginal inclusion into this discography, but I've
heard about how noted he was in Chicago in the mid-90s for hosting parties
at the clubs, dressed in tres flamboyant drag. He's released a couple
of club songs. Click for more info. "Bardot Fever" (on "Quentagious" 12" EP, DJ World, 1992) "Bardot Swing" (ZYX CD 79091-8, 5 remixes, 1995, Germany) |
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| Fred Barton |
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Fred
Barton is not really a female impersonator, but I think he belongs here
for his 1986 album. Way before the hit Broadway musical "Wicked"
the multi-talented Barton brought Almira Gulch, the witch from "The
Wizard of Oz," back to the stage in this delicious production. Visit
his site or click for more
"Miss Gulch Returns" (Gulch
Mania LP 5757, 1984) |
| Jackie Beat |
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From her site: "Drag superstar JACKIE BEAT has been entertaining audiences across the U.S. and in Europe for over ten years with her razor-sharp comedy and hysterical song parodies. Jackie not only warps hits by Britney Spears, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Cher and many others, but she flawlessly sings her twisted new versions LIVE -- hitting every last note." Sounds right to me. She's issued three CDs and the Christmas one has some amazing, and amazinly twisted versions of songs you won't believe. Visit her site or click for more. Oh, Jackie also sings in a band called Dirty Sanchez, who has a CD with a release date set for May 2006. You'll find goodies about them also. "Wigstock: The Movie" (Sire
CD 61818, 1995, one song) |
| Bebe Zahara Benet |
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Bebe Zahara Benet, is a winner of Season
1 of RuPaul's TV show Drag Race, and even got to guest on a remix of
the RuPaul 2009 song "Cover Girl." She's released two digital
singles, with way too many remixes of: |
| Ty Bennett |
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Ty
Bennett was another successful drag artist, starring at the famous New
York City Club 82 from 1958 for over a decade. Sadly he released only
one album, because his story telling was first rate. Click
for more.
"Queen for a Day" (Half & Half Records LP 34 1/2, 1961) |
| Arthur Blake (1915-1985) |
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Arthur Blake was a noted female impressionist of stage, screen, and night clubs, and was especially famous for his parodies of famous screen stars, such as Mae West, Tallulah Bankhead, and of course, Bette Davis. She was said to have preferred his impression of her. He released an album on his own in 1957 and in 1967 appeared on a Jayne Mansfield album, doing voices of various stars between her songs. Click for more. "Curtain Time" (Star-Crest
LP 1001, 1957) |
| Baroness Bobo |
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Baroness Bobo was one of the black drag queens that recorded on the Laff label in the 70's, and that's about all the information I could find about her. Click for more. "There's a Mouse in My Pants" (Laff LP 154) |
| Ray or Rae Bourbon |
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Ray Bourbon was in my opinion the leading drag artist of the early years, and by far the most prolific regarding recordings, issuing around 40 78 rpm records, and over a dozen albums. Shown here are many of his albums, issued during the 1950s. Starting in vaudeville he attracted the attention of Mae West, who cast him in two of her shows. Around 1956 he concocted the ingenious gimmack of claiming to have had a sex change operation, which he milked for the rest of his career. He even entitled one of his albums, "Let Me Tell You About My Operation," and at that time changed his name from Ray to Rae. Colorful to the last, in 1968 he went to prison as an accomplice in a murder, stemming from a dispute over pet dogs, and he died in prison, of a heart attack in July of 1971. As I said, his discography was extensive, click for more. And also visit this very extensive Ray Bourbon tribute site.
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| Charlie Branch |
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Songstress Charlie Branch, that's how she's billed on the sheet music I found for the song "Roses for my Love," from 1971. Apparently "she" wrote the the English lyrics for the song, where the music was written by Carl Zeller, and arranged by Harry Davis. Google finds me no information on any of these folks. Interestingly, the back of the sheet music advertizes a vinyl album by Charlie Branch, interpreting popular love songs. If you have any information about this album, please let me know. Click for the sheet music. |
| Steven Brinberg |
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Steven Brinberg's impressions of Barbra Streisand, to the ear and the eye, are perfect. I wish he would capture his show on DVD, but until then his 1999 CD will suffice. Visit his site or click for more. "Simply Barbra" (CDJay CD 1329, 1999) |
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| Patty Bruce |
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Patty Bruce is
a NYC entertainer, and per her site: "This wry debut, by New York
City performer Patty Bruce, will charm aficionados of Cabaret and Neo-Vaudeville
with its clever, biting lyrics and lush melodies. Seven original songs,
theatrically bent." |
| Douglas Byng (1893-1987) |
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Douglas Byng was one of the top cabaret and variety stars in England in the 1920s and 30s. He was famous for his female impersonations, and wrote many of his own songs, many of which were originally banned on the BBC. One of his songs, from 1930, was entitled "I'm One of the Queens of England," and one of my favorites is a duet with Lance Lister, called "The Cabaret Boys"...for 1928 that was quite a nelly song. He released dozens of 78s in the UK in the 20s and 30s, far to many to list here, but two excellent CD compilations are shown above. Click here for more. "Douglas Byng Looks Back"
(Decca Ace of Clubs LP 1155, UK, 1963) |
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