WebExcelsior Records. as Gladys Bentley Quintette, 1945. 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. … Gladys Alberta Bentley (August 12, 1907 – January 18, 1960) was an American blues singer, pianist, and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. Her career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry's Clam House, a well-known gay speakeasy in New York in the 1920s, as a black, lesbian, cross-dressing … See more Bentley was born August 12, 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George L. Bentley, an American, and his wife, Mary Mote, a Trinidadian. In Bentley's Ebony article, she wrote about trouble in the home … See more In an interview with Ebony magazine, Bentley stated that "It seems I was born different. At least, I always thought I was." From an early age, Bentley defied gender normative … See more In 1933, Bentley found herself in the middle of a Supreme Court battle with Harry Hansberry and Nat Palein. Hansberry and Palein sued Bentley to prohibit her from taking her musical to the Broadway division. Hansberry insisted that the club had been … See more Aside from her musical talent and success, Bentley is a significant and inspiring figure for some in the LGBT community and African Americans, and she was a prominent figure during the Harlem Renaissance. She was revolutionary in her … See more She moved from Philadelphia to Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City in 1925 at the age of 16. She heard that Harry Hansberry's Clam House on 133rd Street, one of the city's most notorious gay speakeasies, needed a male pianist. This is when she began … See more In 1930, Bentley lived with a woman named Beatrice Robert. In 1931, Bentley had a civil ceremony in New Jersey, in a public union with a white woman whose identity is unknown. When Bentley relocated to Los Angeles, she allegedly married J. T. … See more Bentley appeared at: • The Mad House, 133rd Street, Harlem, New York City, New York • Harry Hansberry's Clam … See more

Gladys Bentley in Literature - Queer Music Heritage

WebFeb 1, 2024 · In her top hat and tuxedo, Gladys Bentley belted out gender-bending tunes, becoming ’20s-era Harlem royalty. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. WebApr 14, 2010 · With anti-miscegenation laws operating in all states until 1967, and with LGBTQ people today being denied both the right of both state and church weddings, … quick pickled garlic recipe

Gladys Bentley: Gender-Bending Performer and Musician

WebFeb 11, 2015 · Lucille Bogan’s “ B.D. Woman’s Blues ” could have been written about Bentley . Bentley’s popularity continued through 1931, when she had a public marriage … WebJun 4, 2024 · Gladys Bentley: blues singer, tuxedo wearer and lady lover. In the words of Saidiya Hartman in her book Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, “Bentley was abundant flesh, art in motion.” 1 In the words of Bentley herself, from 1952 when she had left the stage and all that came with it, “a big, successful star – and sad, lonely person ... WebAug 4, 2024 · Gladys Bentley was a triple threat—a singer, a dancer, and a lesbian. She rose to fame during Prohibition in New York City, entertaining speakeasy audiences with performances testing the boundaries of gender and sexuality. Although she was a talented singer and pianist, her lyricism and queer presentation truly made her stand out. She … quick pins for ar15