Gladys was ill throughout the summer of 1958, so she and husband Vernon Presley returned to Memphis in early August to see her personal physician. Still, Bentley had bigger dreams on her mind. She tried to continue her musical career by playing in a number of gay nightspots but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. His autopsy was legally sealed for fifty years but, in. In it, she not only repudiates her homosexuality, but also her entire identity before that moment, revealing that she now only wears dresses and other acceptable housewife attire in order to please her husband and herself. Resend Activation Email. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Search above to list available cemeteries. GladysCrawford1909IndianaGladys Crawfordin 1940 United States Federal Census Gladys Crawfordwas born circa 1909, at birth place, Indiana, to Lon H Crawfordand Pearl Crawford. Like everything she did, she did this whole hog, and got ordained at the beginning of the 1960s. She rose to fame during Prohibition in New York City, entertaining speakeasy audiences with performances testing the boundaries of gender and sexuality. On August 8, gravely ill, she was taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital. She had been living in California with her mother and was waiting to be ordained as a minister in the Temple of Love in Christ, Inc. Today, she is being rediscovered for the same reason that her story was obscured during her youth. After graduating from the rent party circuit, Bentley got her shot at becoming a nightclub performer. Season 3. The Grammy-nominated artist's prolonged absence from social media . . Eventually, Bentley got tired of performing for small crowds, and began looking for gigs at bona fide clubs around New York. Lila Gladys Young was a Canadian woman who operated The Ideal Maternity Home, a discreet residence for unwed pregnant mothers in Nova Scotia between 1928 and 1947. . The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. Want just a taste of Gladys Bentleys scorching lyrics? This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Bentley recalled dreaming and being infatuated with her primary school female teachers but did not understand those feelings until later on in her life. [1][2][24] It was initially believed to be the "Asian flu" but later turned into "pneumonia". BETSY LAYNE, Ky. The Floyd County school district is mourning the death of an elementary school teacher. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career, but during the McCarthy Era in the 1950s, she started wearing dresses and married (within five months of meeting) Charles Roberts, age 28, a cook, in a civil ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in 1952. Gladys Bentley Death: and Cause of Death On January 18, 1960, Gladys Bentley died of non-communicable disease. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. Bentley began singing at rent parties and buffet flats. By the 1950s, Bentley was approaching middle age and the roaring 20s of her youth and the Harlem Renaissance community that flirted with modernism was now a thing of her past. [9] She toured the country, some destinations being Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Hollywood, where she was well liked by Cesar Romero, Hugh Herbert, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, and other celebrities. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Make sure that the file is a photo. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gladys Bentley, Prentiss Taylor, and Nora Holt, Letter to Paul Kalmanovitz from the Musicians' Protective Association, Musicians' Protective Association Local 767 claim form, Photograph of two men and a woman taken at the Ubangi Club, Photograph of a group of men and women taken at the Ubangi Club, Photograph of Leroy Broomfield and the Ubangi Club dancers, Carl Van Vechten Photographs of Prentiss Taylor with Gladys Bentley and Nora Holt. She took the songs Sweet Alice Blue Gown and Georgia Brown, and combined them and it became a song about anal sex., Bentley was not the first to sing raunchy music, but Reece said that she was still breaking barriers by pushing the boundaries of public taste in a way that would have been much more suitable for a man to do.. 1960 deaths Bentley (surname) Gladys (given name) Births in Philadelphia Deaths in Los Angeles Female African American vocalists Deaths from pneumonia Drag kings Lesbian musicians LGBT musicians from the United States Musicians from Philadelphia Vocalists from New York City People of Harlem, Manhattan Harlem Renaissance Openly lesbian, she sang raunchy remakes of popular tunes in a deep voice, dressed in her signature men's style of tuxedo and top hat. Year should not be greater than current year. In an effort to describe her supposed "cure" for homosexuality she wrote an essay, "I Am a Woman Again," for Ebony magazine in which she stated she had undergone an operation, which "helped change her life again. She died of pneumonia in 1960, aged 52. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. Even more, she often sang about "sissies" and "bulldaggers"[10] and, through innuendo or more literally, about her female lovers, and she flirted with women in the audience. As a singer, Bentley became known for a deep, growling voice and a trumpet-like scat. In many ways, Bentley never stopped trying to be in the spotlight, even as her audiences waned and the world changed around her. When she got up on stage every night in her top hat and tails, she sang loud and proud about sissies and bulldaggers, and her lyrics often illustrated her lesbian affairs in very explicit terms. Singing the Gender-Bending Blues. Even better, when the columnist asked, Well, whos the man? Bentleys reply was oh-so-satisfying. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career,[16] but during the McCarthy Era, she started wearing dresses and married (within five months of meeting) Charles Roberts, age 28, a cook, in a civil ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in 1952. While performing at the Manhattan nightclub Kings Terrace, the masculine garbed smut-singing entertainer, as one audience member put it, quickly got the authorities to shut the whole place down with her performance. Oftentimes when she mentioned something about her personal life, you had to take it with a grain of salt and not necessarily take it for truth.. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Gladys Bentley: 0: French: Gladys Bentley: chanteuse de blues amricaine: 0: Dutch: Gladys Bentley: Amerikaans zangeres (1907-1960) . As a result of her lack of gender conformity, she was teased by her classmates and often ostracized by her family and peers. Black and white audiences loved the risqu lyrics, the sonorous deep voice, the open flirtation with the most attractive women in the audience, the jokes about sissies and bull daggers. Please enter your email and password to sign in. cause of death. Get the latest on what's happening At the Smithsonian in your inbox. Bentley moved to California, where she continued recording music, touring and performing in upscale supper clubs and bars, but Wilson says her act was a toned down version of what it was at the height of her fame in New York. We see a real change so that somebody who is identified as lesbian or gay is considered a national menace. Yet in California, Bentley only got into some silver screen drama. She sang loud, and her vocal style was deep and booming, sometimes using a growling effect and imitations of a horn. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. A large, 250-pound woman, her deep voice appealed to straight, gay, black, and white audiences. There is a problem with your email/password. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. and experiment both sexually and socially.. The details of this courtship, however, areshady. As a performer, she was advertised by event promoters as a male impersonator, and she filled venues with loud, rowdy performances in which she would flirt with women in the audience. But trouble started as soon as Gladys was born. [2], Recorded November 15, 1928, and March 26, 1929, McBreen, Ellen (1998). cemeteries found in Carson, Los Angeles County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. And this is JD Doyle with Queer Music Heritage and a special show devoted totally to her. She was frequently harassed for wearing men's clothing. 5. According to Bentley, one of the white customers came over, placed a crisp five-dollar bill in her hand, and begged her to play something else, saying, We dont care what it is. When Gladys Presley passed away on August 14, 1958, Elvis was only 23 years old. While Harlem was home to African-Americans facing the challenges of the Great Depression, it also became a destination for pleasure-seekers who Wilson says were eager to let loose of their bourgeois attitudes. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Bentleys fame was a product of being both a gifted singer and an adept provocateur. "Vernon Presley said he was aroused at 3 a.m. by his wife, Gladys, 'suffering for breath.' 2013.46.25.15 Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Bentley was the most popular and infamous speakeasy performer in Prohibition-era New York. This service only issues certified copies of microfilmed death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana between 1911-1972. ", Gladys Bentley performing "Them There Eyes" with Groucho Marx on, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Gladys Bentley, Gender-Bending Blues Performer and '20s Harlem Royalty", "The Great Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke All the Rules", "A Spectacle in Color: The Lesbian and Gay Subculture of Jazz Age Harlem", National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gladys Bentley, more than a liberated singer, "Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke Ground with Marriage to a Woman in 1931", "shirlette celebrates Gladys Bentley in PBS American Masters Series, UNLADYLIKE2020", Collection of newspaper clippings and recording information about Gladys Bentley, from Queer Music Heritage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gladys_Bentley&oldid=1147239415, The Mad House, 133rd Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, Harry Hansberry's Clam House ("Gladys' Clam House"), 133rd Street, Harlem, Harlem, New York City, New York, Ubangi Club, Harlem, New York City, New York, Connie's Inn ("Jungle Alley"), 2221 Seventh Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, "Worried Blues" / "Ground Hog Blues" (August 1928) #8610, "Wild Geese Blues" / "How Much Can I Stand" (November 1928, with piano, not released), "Wild Geese Blues" / "How Much Can I Stand" (November 1928, with guitar) #8643, "Red Beans and Rice" / "Big Gorilla Man" (March 1929) #8707, "Washboards Get Together" / "Kazoo Moan", #38127, scatting vocal on A-side only (title often listed as "Washboard Get Together"), with the Washboard Serenaders, recorded March 1930; reissued twice, as Bluebird B-5790 (circa 1934) and B-6633 (circa 1936), "Boogie'n My Woogie" / "Thrill Me Till I Get My Fill", #164, "Red Beans & Rice Blues" / "Find Out What He Likes (and How He Likes It)" #165/166, "Big Gorilla Blues" / "Lay It on the Line", #166/165, "Notoriety Papa" / "It Went to the Girl Next Door", #169, "July Boogie" / "Gladys Could Play", #337, as Fatso Bentley, July 4, 1953, "Easter Mardi Gras" / "Before Midnight", Flame 1001, Cincinnati, early 1950s, label misspells name as Gladys Bently; mentioned in her August 1952 article in, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 17:37. Gladys Bentley, one of the most flamboyant blues entertainers of the 20th century, began performing in New York City as a singer and male impersonator. . (Born on April 25, 1912, Gladys was actually 46 when she died.) Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Privacy Statement Gladys Bentley (stage name, Bobbie Minton) was a Harlem Renaissance blues singer and cross dresser. Okeh Race Records released eight singles of her music between 1928 and 1929. She created her own musical revue with a chorus of eight male dancers in drag, the primary attraction at the well-known Ubangi Club, 1934-1937. You can always change this later in your Account settings. And that was the least of her revelations. But its more complicated than all that. . Significant Dates. This is a carousel with slides. Although some of the corpses were eventually found, it was impossible to prove the cause of death. Gladys Bentley (1907-60) Michael Ochs Archives . As Bentley became more popular, she started performing at Harry Hansberrys Clam Houseone of New York Citys most well-known gay speakeasiesin the 1920s. William Young died of cancer just before Christmas, 1962 . | READ MORE. Though the cause was a heart attack, it was later found that one of the contributing factors was liver failure due to alcohol poisoning. Openly lesbian, she sang raunchy remakes of popular tunes in a deep voice, dressed in her signature mens style of tuxedo and top hat. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? By 1933, Bentley had parlayed her fame into country-wide domination. "She was always my best girl." Gladys Knight Death Hoax Dismissed Since Singer Is 'Alive And Well'. Lincoln Memorial Park. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Gladyspassed away on month day1963, at age 54 at death place, Kentucky. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. Instance Of Rank; Q3. In 1934, a midtown Manhattan nightclub called Kings Terrace was padlocked by the police after an observer complained of the dirty songs performed there. It's a woman, Wilson says. When she eventually left the Clam House for the swanky Ubangi Club on Park Avenue, she reportedly rented an extravagant penthouse apartment that would have raised her mothers eyebrows. The world's biggest star was found in his bathroom at Graceland on August 16, 1977, and pronounced dead at Memphis Baptist Memorial Hospital. As times progressed and federal laws continued to change, there became a point where Bentley had to carry special permits to allow her to perform in men's clothing. Elvis Presley's mother, Gladys Presley, died on August 14, 1958, of a heart attack. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. 01/18/1960 . Today, experts believe that the article and her marriages were not actually true representations of her identity, but rather her attempts to conform to the newly conservative standards of the day so she could survive. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Learn more about managing a memorial . So when it came to her unnamed paramour, it wasnt just that she took a woman as her wife that raised peoples eyebrows. Wilson also says that Bentley, who was aging and no stranger to reinvention, was likely making deft use of the press. Bentley died on March 2 at Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center. Just days before the Tampa Pro bodybuilding contest in 2017, Sean Harris fell asleep behind the wheel and died in a pretty tragic accident. At the peak of her career, the singer was . She's been a special interest of mine for quite some time, and in the 1920's and 30's she was especially prominent. Or there might have been a more cynical reason, Gladys Bentley was a consummate show woman, and she simply didnt know how to let a publicity opportunity pass her by. She'd been lying about her age to conceal the fact that she was four years older than Vernon Presley. In 1960, after a lifetime as a popular entertainer and a woman who lived on the fringes in a world that wasnt ready to accept her, Gladys Bentley succumbed to pneumonia. In his 1945 autobiography, Langston Hughes described her as, "An amazing exhibition of musical energy." In an interview with Ebony magazine,[6] Bentley stated that "It seems I was born different. Shed always been good at the piano, and heard through a friend one night that the notorious gay speakeasy the Clam House was looking for a pianist. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. Bentley was so desperate to change, she submitted to the expensive injections three times a week for an entire half a year. The cause of death was a heart attack, and it was later discovered that one of the contributing factors was liver failure due to alcohol poisoning. She was revolutionary in her masculinity: "Differing from the traditional male impersonator, or drag king, in the popular theater, Gladys Bentley did not try to 'pass' as a man, nor did she playfully try to deceive her audience into believing she was biologically male. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Gladys Bentley died suddenly from the flu in Los Angeles in 1960 at the age of 52. Date of Birth. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. It was discovered that one of the contributing factors to the attack was liver failure due to alcohol poisoning. Oops, something didn't work. Actress Lynda Baron, best known for her role as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in BBC TV sitcom Open All Hours, has died at the age of 82.
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