As Bentley put it, My hands fairly flew over the keys. And the response was legendary. According to Elvis History Blog, Gladys Presley, the mother of Elvis Presley, died "of a heart attack" at the age of 46, the cause of death given in an Associated press story from the time.. So when it came to her unnamed paramour, it wasnt just that she took a woman as her wife that raised peoples eyebrows. He was 77. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. A large, masculine, Black womana "bulldagger," in the language of her dayshe was known for wearing a. At the time of her death, she was 53 years old. In her music, she called out men and openly sang about sexual relationships which was seen as risqu behavior at the time. There was an error deleting this problem. . In the years prior to her death, she adamantly tried to recant her lesbianism and married a man several years her junior. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Instead, she exerted a 'black female masculinity' that troubled the distinctions between black and white and masculine and feminine".[25]. On the decline of the Harlem speakeasies with the repeal of Prohibition, she relocated to southern California, where she was billed as "America's Greatest Sepia Piano Player" and the "Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs". 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".[17][18][19]. ). After Elvis entered his mother ward and the door closed, witnesses remember a piercing wild despair of wails from Elvis were heard as he wept and prayed long and loud over his mother's lifeless body. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. After a lifetime of loneliness, she wrote that she had undergone medical treatment that awakened her womanliness. She claimed to have married twice, though Wilson says that one of the men denied ever having been married to Bentley. "Vernon Presley said he was aroused at 3 a.m. by his wife, Gladys, 'suffering for breath.' The performer had survived a harsh life up until this point, but she was about to spiral out of control. Name a Woman: Pioneering Drag King Gladys Bentley Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Were always looking for your input! By 1934, just a year after her debut, Gladys Bentley had to give up on her Broadway baby dreams, and she slunk back to Ubangi Club with her white coat tails between her legs. All Rights Reserved. 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. Failed to report flower. Then, she made a jaw-dropping decision. 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. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. Remembering 28 Bodybuilders Who Passed Away (2017-2020) He wondered whether Bentley's father's sudden death resulted from an undiagnosed arrhythmia that triggered a . He demanded she stop trying to perform on Broadway, and took his suit all the way up to the Supreme Court. Audience members started raving about her stage presence at the piano, so much so that the club even changed its name to Barbaras Exclusive Club to take the most advantage of Bentleys fame and notorietywhile they still could. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career, but during the McCarthy Era she started wearing dresses and married, claiming to have been "cured" by taking female hormones. Gladys Alberta Bentley (August 12, 1907 January 18, 1960)[1] was an American blues singer, pianist, and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. 01/18/1960 . Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. In 1934, a midtown Manhattan nightclub called Kings Terrace was padlocked by the police after an observer complained of the dirty songs performed there. Drag performers often backed her up at the Ubangi Club. During the late 1920's, Bentley recorded for the OKeh Record label and then for Victor Records in 1930. The Wayward Life of Gladys Bentley - Paris Review Drag performers often backed her up at the . Do you find this information helpful? No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. GenealogyBuff.com - Mercer County, Kentucky Obituary and Death Notice Bentley didnt do anything by halves. So Gladys Bentley abandoned that and seems to want to restart her career as a more traditional black woman performer., In 1952, Bentley wrote her life story in an article for Ebony magazine, entitled I Am A Woman Again. In the article, she described the life of a glamorous performer who silently struggled with herself. Well, it backfired. Try again later. We have set your language to William Young died of cancer just before Christmas, 1962 . Gladys Alberta Bentley (August 12, 1907 - January 18, 1960) was an American blues singer, pianist, and drag entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. Gladys Bentley had waited years for this moment, and she wasted no time grabbing the opportunity with both hands. 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. . Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? 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. "Goodbye, darling. On top of that, the news got out in a sensational way. Inevitably, even the vaunted Ubangi club closed its doors in 1937, kicking Bentley out along with its regular clientele. Gladys Bentley wasnt just popular with the common people; she had all of New York eating out of the palm of her hand. Bentley also studied to be a minister, claiming to have been "cured" by taking female hormones. Gladys Bentleywas born circa 1909. She had a recording contract for her raunchy songs, put out a series of records with her broad, booming voice, and was just positioning herself to take over the bright lights of Broadway. Sorry! Gladys Bentley Was The Gender Nonconforming, Lesbian Superstar - Bust Gladys Bentley, a luminary of the Harlem Renaissance, began her blues career singing at rent parties (held to raise rent money by charging attendees) and underground establishments in Harlem, New York. The hit show about a Yorkshire corner shop, which starred Ronnie. At the time of her death, she was 53 years old. . Gladys Bentley (stage name, Bobbie Minton) was a Harlem Renaissance blues singer and cross dresser. She took a seat at the piano on the set and performed a song that showed a vocal range and confidence that hadnt diminished since her days in Harlem. 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. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. When Bentley finished her performance, the room burst into applause. A lengthier and more prominently placed AP wire story announced in the country's newspapers that Elvis Presley's mother had died suddenly of a heart attack at age 42. Decades after his death, Baldwin's work is still celebrated, with his ruminations of life as a Black gay man still holding true for many today. Portraits of Bentley are now held in the music collections of the African American History museum, where the performer is both a face of the Harlem Renaissance and an example of a woman who on her own terms navigated the entertainment business during the Great Depression and Prohibition Eras. 0 references. . Yet the reality behind her death was far too simple, and far too tragic. [1] [2] [24] It was initially believed to be the "Asian flu" but later turned into "pneumonia". In her Ebony tell-all I Am A Woman, Bentley mentions yet another husband, a sailor named Don, who she claims seduced her, turned her straight, and set her on the path to womanhood again. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Elvis Presley mother: What happened to Gladys Presley? How she died Thanks for your help! However, later that year, she did wed Charles Roberts, a cook sixteen years her junior. We are sad to announce that on July 1, 2021, at the age of 87, Gladys Bentley of New York Mills, Minnesota passed away. Before joining the team, she worked as a course lecturer while completing her Ph.D. in English Literature. ", 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. Date of Birth. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The Grammy-nominated artist's prolonged absence from social media . Significant Dates. Blues Singer. This happened even at her star-studded Hollywood shows, which would have the likes of Mary Astor and Barbara Stanwyck watching from the audience. Louisiana Death Records. Nevertheless, losing Jesse still affected the King deeply. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. On August 14, 1958, Gladys Presley died, aged just 46. As Bentley became more popular, she started performing at Harry Hansberry's Clam Houseone of New York City's most well-known gay speakeasiesin the 1920s. Her songs revealed all her dirty little secrets. GREAT NEWS! Date of Death: July 19, 2017. Visitation . It did not end well. 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. Gladys Bentley was a triple threata singer, a dancer, and a lesbian. 08/12/1907 . 03.12.2019. She went to Broadway anywaybut she would live to regret it. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Theyd seen talent before, but theyd never seen talent like this. How did Elvis's mother die? Elvis's fame contributed to her death BIOGRAPHY: Gladys Bentley - Musician - The Heroine Collective It only got worse from there. When the ship hit an iceberg and sank, she became its youngest survivor. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Resend Activation Email. Please try again later. In fact, she became the most prominent mannish lesbian of the Harlem Renaissance. Gladys Bentley loved women, wore men's clothing, and sang bawdy songs that would make sailors blush.and did it openly in the 1920s and 1930s. Learn more about this trailblazer on the Smithsonian Sidedoorpodcast episode"Singing the Gender-Bending Blues. Then she proceeded to blow his mind. Her performances at the Clam House attracted luminaries like poet Langston Hughes and the photographer Carl Van Vechten, who both sang her praises. Tragic Facts About Bessie Smith, The Empress Of The Blues, Eleanor Of Aquitaine Was Englands Fiercest QueenUntil Her Brutal End, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Truth Hurts: Binge-Worthy Stories About The Biggest Liars Of All Time, These Mega Embarrassing Moments Still Made Us Burst Out Laughing, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall. Get it, Gladys. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. That year, Bentley took up with kitchen cook Charles Roberts, marrying him after a whirlwind courtship. Within months of Bentleys entrance into Broadway, the authorities had cottoned onto to her risqu shows, and they made sure to nip them right in the bud. Millvina Dean - Death, Family & Facts - Biography Despite those challenges Bentley likely encountered in New Yorks entertainment business, it is no surprise that she moved to Harlem. Bentley's performances appealed to black, white, gay, and straight audiences alike, and many celebrities attended her shows. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. So, she went ahead and did something truly scandalous. On Thursday, Charlie Monk, music publisher and family friend of the country singer-songwriter, confirmed to The Tennessean that Weatherly died on Wednesday. Already a big girl, her parents and siblings saw this masculine turn as shamefully unladylike, while her classmates teased her at school. Her parents tried to cure Bentley by taking her to numerous doctors. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. When I had finished my first number, the burst of applause was terrific.. Upon hearing the news, Elvis immediately returned to the hospital. Not content with changing her outward appearance, in the 1950s Bentley began to change her insides as well, going to a doctor and beginning to take female hormones to overcome her more masculine traits. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Gladys Bentley (1907-1960) - BlackPast.org This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Gladys Presley died on August 14, 1958, at the age of 46, due to a heart attack. Gladyslived at address, Kentucky. Who was Elvis Presley's mother Gladys? The heartbreaking story - Smooth Michael Bekoev was a Ukrainian bodybuilder who died of a heart attack at age 54. Persian Wikipedia. (Born on April 25, 1912, Gladys was actually 46 when she died.) [1][2][24] It was initially believed to be the "Asian flu" but later turned into "pneumonia". . Drag images here or select from your computer for Gladys Alberta Bentley memorial. Although Bentley used feminine pronouns in her public life, some experts believe she would have been a transgender man today, while others insist she only played with gender expectations and never tried to pass as a man. I wore immaculate full white dress shirts with stiff collars, small bow ties and shirts, oxfords, short Eton jackets and hair cut straight back.. and experiment both sexually and socially.. Unable to express her talent on Broadway, she was forced to move back to Harlem in 1934, where she then played at the Ubangi Club for three years before it closed in 1937. This browser does not support getting your location. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Her salary started at $35 per week plus tips and went to $125 per week, and the club was soon renamed Barbara's Exclusive Club, after her stage name at the time, Barbara "Bobbie" Minton. It's a woman, Wilson says. She kept on performing, but in womens clothing. In the late 1950s, Bentleys repentance for her star-studded sins took a turn towards God, and she got involved in her local Church and began studying to be a minister. Bentley died of pneumonia unexpectedly at her home in Los Angeles on January 18, 1960, aged 52. Miss Bentley was an amazing exhibition of musical energy a large, dark, masculine lady, whose feet pounded the floor while her fingers pounded the keyboard a perfect piece of African sculpture, animated by her own rhythm.[15]. He was very close to his mother, which made her death that much more heartbreaking. [2] In Bentley's Ebony article,[3] she wrote about trouble in the home as she was growing up and the relationship between her and her mother. Then again, there were rumors that would have made her mother straight-up faint. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. She sang loud, and her vocal style was deep and booming, sometimes using a growling effect and imitations of a horn. Still, Bentley had bigger dreams on her mind. See, the Clam House was actually looking for a male pianist. She marched right over one night during a packed audience and met the clubs skeptical boss, Harry Hansberry. Langston Hughes recorded his reaction to the beginning of Bentley's career success: For two or three amazing years, Miss Bentley sat, and played piano all night long with scarcely a break between the notes, sliding from one song to another, with a powerful and continuous underbeat of jungle rhythm.
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