early performers

Monday was the big dollar night. Today a dollar night is a big thing, but back then drinks were two dollars, so dollar night was just a half price night. There was no cover; actually there were never any covers except Friday and Saturday. Aside from Monday there weren’t any other discount drink nights, yet the bar was always busy. Immy Ane kept Tuesday nights PACKED with his drag show. He performed everyone from Judy Garland to Bette Midler to Julia Child. He was so funny, but when you’re at the top and hot the only way to go is…What becomes a legend? He took to drinking I remember his last show he just stared, very trance-like, at the spot light. The music played, but his lips never moved. After the song he commented how lovely the song was, “who sang it?”
Mind you he wrote the show up.
Side note: Writing the show up is when the drag performer writes down the songs they will be doing at gives it to the Dee-jay.
Thursday’s back in there day were Jackie Nicole and Kevin Jackson.
Jackie Nicole was having a sex change. She was the first I ever met like that. She was a wonderful, at peace person. While the rest of us were racing around trying to find ourselves and be accepted, Jackie did it and came out a winner! She was engaged and working at Macy’s as a make-up artist. Her last show at the bar was packed!!! Busier than a night before Thanksgiving! She got countless numbers of roses and I would say standing ovation, but the audience was standing to begin with. The sad side of Jackie was that when her fiancé’s family found out about her sex change they pressured him to dump her. I think she became fat.
Kevin Jackson! Kevin Jackson was hired by Diana Ross’ people to impersonate her at her concerts so that she could go out another exist. He was flawless as Diana Ross. Rumor has it that he got himself into a car accident so that he could have plastic surgery to look like her. I doubt it, but some say it. He was the greatest performer I have ever seen, yet the most self destructive person I have ever met. I am still in awe when I see him perform, but I know he is going to hit me up for money so he can drink. Back in the day Hank would not let the performers drink until after the show. Kevin had a flask. He was so funny…He would call everyone “Nadine.” “Nadine get me water.” “Nadine get me towels.” “Nadine get me a boyfriend.” It took me two years to get up the nerve to say hello to him and when I did he told me to get my lily white ass out of his dressing room. The tone changed when he found out I was a waiter and could get him a drink. Then it was, “Nadine, you’re my favorite!” Years later we were actually roommate, but that is another blog-my room-in-mate years.
Sunday sported both Chakka Savalas and Elgin. Elgin supposedly got his drag name from a toilet. Chakka was a fun mess. She was a he who was going for the change but couldn’t afford it so only got half way through it. She has the tiniest tits because she couldn’t afford the implants yet. Chakka just did whatever songs she wanted. She loved the songs like, “It’s Raining Men”, “One Night Only” and the entire one hit wonders. When she passed away I cried. She was a mess, but such a fun one. She would never hurt a soul.
Elgin did Donna Summers. She was big in the 80’s and they loved Elgin. Elgin had a vest that was made of mirror squares. It always stood out in my memory of Elgin, that, and David Ryan who would be Elgin’s side kick. David LOVED the spot-light. Elgin was the most professional, I never saw him drink and he was the only one who performed because he loved to perform. There was no ego, or wanting to be a girl. He was a performer and would undress right after the show. Some of the performers never changed. It was weird chatting with a guy who had on a girls face. Weird!
The nights were packed and the people kept coming out for more! These performers were sold-out and making way for the next generation of performers- the ones who would change the bar forever!
The Featherette’s