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Mary Wilson shares Motown memories

Legendary Supremes singer in D.C. for Blues Alley engagement

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Mary Wilson says her Blues Alley engagement will feature standards, jazz and Motown hits. (Photo courtesy Blues Alley)

Now that we’re 50 years removed from the 1960s, there’s enormous interest in all things Motown.

Of course the label’s popularity never really went away but a flurry of recent events, from Broadway’s “Motown: the Musical” to exhibits of the Supremes’ legendary stage gowns to deluxe reissues of many of the label’s classic albums, point to a Motown fever burning as hot as ever.

Supremes founding member Mary Wilson — the only singer to stay in the group for its entire run — is in the midst of a four-night engagement at Washington’s Blues Alley. She spoke with the Blade by phone this week from her home in Las Vegas on a wide spate of topics from her recent dance hit, her stint on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” her oft-misunderstood relationship with Diana Ross and more.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Tell us a little of what you have planned for your Blues Alley engagement, please.

MARY WILSON: It’s a combination. Last time I was there I believe I did my straight sort-of jazz show, so this time I will probably do some of the American songbook and some Supremes songs as well because I know a lot of people would like to hear that. So it will be a combination of all of that. I love doing ballads, you know, love songs. Also it’s Valentine’s week, so I have to honor that because I believe in love.

BLADE: Is it taxing to do two shows each night?

WILSON: I don’t normally do two shows so yeah, it really is. It’s a little harder now that I’m 72, almost 73. I’ll be 73 in March so it can be a little taxing because I’m used to doing one. But I love being on stage. I don’t have a problem performing it’s just, you know, the traveling and all that other stuff that makes it a little more difficult.

BLADE: On average, how much of the year do you spend on the road?

WILSON: I usually do about three to four gigs a month.

BLADE: It must have been gratifying to have a dance hit a little over a year ago when “Time to Move On” hit no. 23 on the Billboard dance chart.

WILSON: It was great. I mean, I didn’t even realize that was going to happen. We recorded that song years ago with a young man out of the Imagination group, Leee John. I think it was in 2002. Some beautiful people out in the San Francisco area, Sweet Feet Music, decided they wanted to release it. I was like, “Oh my God, OK.” So then we went in and did the video and they put it out and it charted. I was so surprised and elated that it charted. It was beautiful and wonderful.

BLADE: How did Sweet Feet even know about it?

WILSON: Well the Supremes fans are just everywhere. I don’t know. I think they knew Leee John. The Imagination may not have been as big here in the states, but they were big in the UK so they knew them.

BLADE: There was such a nice stash of Supremes album reissues and deluxe sets from Hip-O Select over several years but they seem to have suddenly stopped about two years ago. Do you know if any more are planned?

WILSON: I’m not sure. … I know Universal — I feel funny saying Universal instead of Motown — but I know they’re re-releasing our “Go-Go” album. I was just at Universal when I was in New York at the B.B. King club and I went and did some interviews there and they played me a lot of songs.

From left are Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. Wilson says tales of tension between the three original Supremes have been exaggerated over the years. (Photo courtesy Wilson) 

From left are Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. Wilson says tales of tension between the three original Supremes have been exaggerated over the years. (Photo courtesy Wilson)

BLADE: The bonus disc for the “I Hear a Symphony” expanded edition in 2012 had an entire 1966 Supremes concert recorded at the Roostertail in Detroit. Do you know how commonly Supremes concerts were recorded?

WILSON: I really don’t know. Things are showing up now that I didn’t even know had been recorded because this was before everyone had their cell phones and this and that.

BLADE: So you had the Supremes gowns in your possession all these years? It must have cost a fortune to store them all this time.

WILSON: This is true. Well yeah, I just had them in storage. I have a pretty large home here in Las Vegas so some I had in the basement but then it got to be too much so I had them in storage areas here. My daughter says I’m a hoarder but I say what I’m hoarding is worth a fortune. She never really understood it. … Some were in boxes. One of the famous ones I’m having restored. It was beaded on chiffon and just got so worn that the beads were falling off, so I’m having them repaired.

BLADE: Did you keep all the wigs too?

WILSON: Wigs not as much. They tend to get really old and then they’re no good. Pretty much everyone kept their own wigs throughout the years so I never really had a lot of those, but the gowns, yes. I do have everyone’s gowns except the ones that were stolen. … There was a lot of stuff stored at Motown where we originally stored them and when the building in Detroit was torn down, a lot of people just started taking stuff — pictures, masters, gowns. Some have landed elsewhere. There are a couple here in the Hard Rock Cafe casino in Vegas, so they’ve been all over the place. I don’t know how else they ended up here and there other than people just took them when the building was torn down. I even got a few of them back on eBay.

BLADE: There wasn’t as much Motown stuff in the National Museum of African-American History here in Washington as I would have thought. Were you ever in touch with its staff about having some Supremes items there?

WILSON: You know what, I’m a little disappointed because I offered them my gown exhibit to be displayed there and I never heard back from them. I made a presentation and everything. I guess they had so many things, so many artifacts, they couldn’t take everything so I understood, but I was disappointed. When I’m in D.C., I’m going to try and go see it. I’m very thrilled it’s there. I’m just not happy the Supremes gowns aren’t part of it.

BLADE: It seems insane to me that the Supremes never won a Grammy in the ‘60s. Was there some anti-Motown sentiment in the industry at the time or what?

WILSON: I really don’t know. It’s kind of hurtful when I hear of so many people having Grammys. We had 12 number one records but did not ever receive a Grammy. Three of our singles, much later, were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, but that was all done after the fact. So yeah, I’m a little pissed on it.

BLADE: There are some Supremes B-sides like “Going Down for the Third Time” that sound to me like they could have been hits. Or some minor hits like “Some Things You Never Get Used To” seem like they should have charted higher. Are there any Supremes tracks you think could have been hits but weren’t released as singles or had the potential to chart higher than they did?

WILSON: I’ve never been one to know much about what’s a hit and what’s not a hit. I do think some of the songs were really quite good but for them to have been hits, I don’t really know. There were certainly a lot I really liked.

BLADE: So many elaborate sculptures and paintings have been done of the Supremes over the years. Which are your favorites?

WILSON: I receive so many beautiful pieces of art that people have done on us. One person who’s passed now, his name was Ted LeMaster did quite a few lovely paintings. I think I have four of them and they’re just absolutely gorgeous. I’m working on a coffee table book of the Supremes gowns so I should include some of those as well. There’s another guy and, oh gee, I may have to get you his name later because it’s not coming to me off the top of my head, but he does these Supremes dolls and they are just beautiful. There are lots of artists out there and they send things to me all the time. I have them all over my place here.

BLADE: How did you enjoy being a guest judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race”?

WILSON: It was great. He was just wonderful. You know, gorgeous. He’s a big Diana Ross fan so it was almost like seeing Diane in a way because he kind of does her thing. He looks great and all that stuff and it was loads of fun. I met so many wonderful, or I should say gorgeous, so many gorgeous people.

BLADE: The Frontier shows, the last with Miss Ross, that became the “Farewell” album in 1970 — was that set list pretty much the Supremes show in 1969 or was some of the stuff you did there, like the “Aquarius” medley with all the audience sing-alongs, was that maybe just worked up for that engagement knowing so many celebrities would be present?

WILSON: No, that was pretty much our normal show we toured with that year. Everything we did there, we’d pretty much been touring with, yes.

BLADE: Do you keep in touch often with (former Supremes) Cindy Birdsong and/or (Ross replacement) Jean Terrell?

WILSON: Yes. Last year we had the gown exhibit at the Grammy museum and I invited all the ladies there for that. Jean Terrell came, Scherrie Payne was there and Susaye Greene. I keep up with Cindy but I don’t see her as often as I want since she’s in L.A. and I’m in Vegas but I spend a lot of time in L.A. so I see her when I’m there.

BLADE: Is she well?

WILSON: I don’t want to get too much into her personal things. She’s a little older and she’s had some health issues.

BLADE: Do you ever hear from (founding Supreme) Florence Ballard’s three daughters? (Ballard left the group in 1967 and died in 1976.)

WILSON: Yes, whenever I’m in Detroit, they always come out and we talk on the phone a lot actually. So yeah, I do keep up — well, I should say they keep up with me, let’s put it that way.

BLADE: Did you enjoy “Motown: the Musical”?

WILSON: I loved it. I thought it was wonderful. Obviously it was Berry Gordy’s perception of what was going on and everybody, you know, there’ve been all these books, everybody has their own way of looking at it, but it’s all true. It’s just different perceptions from different people. The musical is more Berry’s perspective so he’s obviously looking from the top down. We were looking from down to up, but it’s just the way different people perceived it. But I absolutely loved it. In fact just a week or so ago it opened in L.A. and I flew out there and attended the opening. I was also at the London opening and, of course, the New York opening was also great.

BLADE: It looked like there was a lot of warmth between you and Berry and Diana at the opening. Would you say feelings have mellowed over the years?

WILSON: There always was. Some things that are brought out further tend to be the more negative things. Things that were really great are not broadcast as much so people tend to think there was a lot more dislike there but that’s just not true. We were all very, very close. There were always things going on like maybe you didn’t like this … that didn’t mean that the love was not there. It always was. But we were all different, we all had our own opinions so a lot of times when you speak out, people say, “Oh my God, they’re having a fight, they hate each other,” and that’s just not true. It’s just different likes and dislikes.

BLADE: I’ve read a lot of the books — your books, Randy Taraborrelli’s books. It always seems like a handful of incidents get told and retold. When you think of all the hours you and Florence and Diana obviously spent together rehearsing, traveling and recording, there had to have been more peace than tension or you’d never have gotten anything done.

WILSON: Well that’s what I’m saying. Some of the things that were brought out and broadcast as if they were major, major things, it’s just not true. People think there’s some big feud between Diane and I and there really is not. It’s just that she’s gone her way and I’ve done my thing so no, we’re not close, but that’s just because over the last 50-some years, our lives have gone in several different directions. I love her as much as I love Flo. People tend to think I love Flo more because they view it as we worked together more on the choreography, on the harmony. We were always together. And now Florence is not here to protect herself, so I don’t talk about her a lot because of that. But I don’t love Flo anymore than I love Diane. I love them both as much as I love my own sister.

BLADE: Did you see Mary Wells much in her later years? Do you think she regretted leaving Motown so early?

WILSON: I saw Mary up to the very end of her life. I actually worked with her trying to do whatever we could in terms of her cancer bout. I don’t know — I never talked to her about that so I really don’t know.

BLADE: It’s staggering to me the amount of material the Supremes recorded in the ‘60s. You must have been in the studio constantly.

WILSON: Well, we were also on the road a lot, too. But yes, what happened sometimes is we would fly into Detroit, record a few songs and then fly right out. So yes, we did record a lot of songs.

BLADE: Now that so many have been released on these expanded editions, I’m sure there are some you have no memory of, right?

WILSON: Not just songs. Sometimes I see pictures that I can’t remember and yet there I am in the picture. It’s just because there were so, so many. There really were.

BLADE: So much has been made of (Motown session singers) the Andantes singing with Diana on Supremes studio material the last few years she was in the group. But you and Cindy obviously still had to learn the parts for TV and concerts. If that was seen as some sort of time-saving device, what was the rationale?

WILSON: There was a lot going on then. Diane was already starting to record songs for her departure, so a lot of times, it was for that reason. But then they’d decide to use some of the recordings on Supremes albums even though we hadn’t been there. That happened a lot. Other times we were out rehearsing with Jean Terrell for the new group, so it was almost like being in two groups there for a while. Cindy was also still fairly new in the group so there wasn’t a lot of cohesiveness those last couple years. And the producers, you know, it’s like this with a lot of my friends who are actors and actresses, a lot of times it’s the producers and writers who make these kinds of decisions and you’re not even in on the decision making in the group. And then of course, Motown was moving to L.A. so there was a lot of stuff going an and we were not really looked upon as a group anymore because obviously Diane was leaving and all. It had to do with a lot of that stuff.

BLADE: You and Florence always had such great harmony and obviously it was before the days of Auto-Tune and all the studio bells and whistles they have now. Did you have to learn to sing harmony or was it something you were able to do naturally?

WILSON: Well it wasn’t just me and Flo, it was me, Flo and Diane and we all sang harmony together a lot. That was really our style naturally. That’s what you did back in those days, you sang. You didn’t have anything else to rely on. We didn’t even need music. We did shows in the early years without music or maybe just with a guitarist, Marvin Tarplin. So no, it was very natural and we didn’t have any help in that department. Actually the Supremes were a very harmonic group in terms of our style, that’s what we did. I kind of hated later on when we lost that because it was something we’d been very good at. It’s hard to harmonize with just two people. Before when we had Diane and (early members) Betty (McGlown) and Barbara (Martin), with four people, you know, you could do great harmony. We kind of lost that style when we found the hits. They were great, of course, but we lost something we were good at.

BLADE: I feel like (Four Tops lead singer) Levi Stubbs is one of the unsung heroes of Motown in a way. He was so committed to the group and had no apparent interest in solo fame like David Ruffin or Diana Ross. Was that just his personality?

WILSON: Yeah, that was his personality and, you know, it was great for the group. But some things like who’s around you and how you feel about it, those are very individual things but that’s one thing about Levi — he was very dedicated to his group.

BLADE: Whenever I see the (1968 TV special) “TCB,” that elevated glass stage looks so precarious. I assume it was taped on a soundstage somewhere. Part of me is always thinking you or the Temptations are going to fall off the edge of it or it will topple over or something silly.

WILSON: There was no danger of that. It was this very huge, Plexiglass stage and there was no way of us falling off. It was as large as any stage, probably larger than most stages. I think it was taped at NBC Studios but I’m not totally sure.

BLADE: What would Florence think of all this endless interest in the Supremes all these years?

WILSON: I think she’d feel the same as I — amazed that it’s lasted this long and that people are still interested. I wish she were here to see that people are still in love with Flo, Diane and Mary. As Flo said, “Honey, we is terrific.” And it’s true. Everywhere I go, people ask me more about Flo than they do about me or Diane. I think she would be very, very happy to know that she is so well remembered. When I sing “I Am Changing” (from “Dreamgirls”) in the show, and of course I dedicate it to Flo, the audience almost always gives me a standing ovation just when I’m saying that. She would be elated. I wish fate had been different for her. She was not like me. I got a chance to fight back and show the world who I am. Everybody can’t be, you know, the star of the show but you can certainly be a star in the show and that’s the way I look at it.

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‘Tiger’ burning bright: an interview with Mary Timony

Today’s female-driven music scene wouldn’t be the same without her

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Mary Timony is back with a new album. (Photo by Chris Grady)

It’s hard to imagine what the current female-driven music scene would be like without Mary Timony. From Sleater-Kinney to Haim, from Angel Olsen to Mitski, the influence of Mary Timony is in every note being played, every word being sung. On her new solo album, “Untame The Tiger” (Merge), with its sly nod to Joni Mitchell, Timony has brought her many years of musical experience to the fore, resulting in what is easily her most accessible release. Beginning with the incredible six-plus minute opener “No Thirds” and continuing through the first single, “Dominoes,” and gorgeous numbers including “The Guest,” “The Dream,” and “Not The Only One,” Timony is assured to keep listeners purring along. Timony made time for an interview shortly before the album was released.

BLADE: Mary, I’d like to begin by talking to you about your musical lives in D.C. and Boston. I went to college in Boston in the early 1980s and was constantly amazed by the bands of the era such as Mission of Burma, Human Sexual Response, and ‘Til Tuesday. I moved to D.C. in the mid-1980s to go to grad school, and at the time, the music scene there was dominated by go-go music, and a smaller indie music featuring BETTY and the late Tommy Keene, among others. What do you remember about the music in D.C. as someone who grew up there?

MARY TIMONY: That’s interesting. We kind of did a switcheroo. I’m from D.C. and I moved to Boston. (In D.C.) I learned, as a teenager, about rock shows and rock music from being involved in the punk scene, the post-hardcore scene of kids here. Those are the shows I went to in high school. Basically, the Dischord (Records) bands and stuff. I saw every single Fugazi show from when they started in ’87. Before that, whatever was happening in 1985, hardcore shows by Swiz and Soulside and Kingface and I loved Ignition. Other than that, I would go see bluegrass out in Virginia and I loved go-go. I would go to see (go-go bands) Rare Essence and Trouble Funk. I was very into that stuff; that was really exciting. I think I liked go-go the most out of all of it, actually [laughs]. I would go to DC Space and 9:30 (Club), mostly for local (acts). I don’t think I ever saw BETTY, but I was a teenager then.

BLADE: Was the active music scene in Boston in the early 1990s part of the appeal for you when it came to relocating to Boston to attend Boston University?

TIMONY: The reason why I went there was because I wanted to go to a music program that was in a big university, in case I didn’t wanna study music the whole time, which is exactly what happened. I studied classical guitar for a year and then I didn’t really like the program much, so I transferred to study English. I found out about the (Boston) music scene from friends. We went to The Middle East (nightclub) and TT’s (T.T. The Bear’s nightclub). Then after college, I ended up living right down the street from The Middle East and I was there constantly.

BLADE: Good old Central Square! As a performer playing in bands including Autoclave, Helium, and Ex Hex, and as a solo artist with her own band, it’s not unreasonable to say that Mary, you are someone who plays well with others. 

TIMONY: [Big laugh.]

BLADE: What makes you such a good team player?

TIMONY: I didn’t know I was [laughs]. I’ve gone back and forth between doing solo stuff and being in bands. Mostly, I’ve done projects where I’ve written a bunch of songs and I’m trying to…I haven’t done a ton of collaborative stuff really. Ex Hex was fun because it was more collaborative. Wild Flag, the same thing, totally 100% collaborative in every way. But Helium was really my thing, but I got some great people that totally influenced it. I’ve always been doing my own thing but tried to find really good people. Music really is about connection. It’s never as good if it’s only one person’s vision. Usually, if it’s good it’s good because of the connection between the musicians. Music is a social art form, I think.

BLADE: “Untame The Tiger” is the title of your new album. In 1999, Joni Mitchell titled her album “Taming The Tiger.” Are you, in any way, making a nod to Joni?

TIMONY: A little bit because I am a huge fan. I have been since I was 18. But, it sort of came to me because I have a song called that on the record and I’m sure that probably came from ripping off Joni Mitchell. Then I just thought that’s a cool name for a record. Then I thought, “Oh, shit!” [Laughs] It’s already been taken! Then I thought about it and then I forgot about it. Then I thought about it again and finally, I was like, “It’s OK. It’s a little bit different.” And I love her!

BLADE: I’m currently reading Ann Powers’ book “Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell,” which comes out in June.

TIMONY: Oh, I’m definitely going to have to read.

BLADE: Yes, please add that to your reading list. “Untame The Tiger” is your first new solo studio album in 15 years. Are there things you write and sing about on your solo records that might be out of place on an album you would record with another one of your musical outfits?

TIMONY: Yes. That’s why this ended up being a solo record. I guess it was because of the tuning of my guitar. They were more or less finished songs. I wanted the songs to sound kind of acoustic. I also wanted to play with a bunch of musicians who I really love. All those things just made it seem like a solo record. If I’m writing for a band, like Ex Hex, which is basically the other band that I do right now, they’re not finished. I bring them in (to the band members) with that band in mind.

BLADE: I love the lush instrumental section on “Thirds” and the psychedelic sounds of “Looking For The Sun” and “The Guest.” Were there things you were listening to while writing the songs for “Untame The Tiger” that were inspiring to you?

TIMONY: I was listening to a lot of music, a ton of stuff. I don’t ever try to purposely emulate anything very often, but I can’t help it. I’d rather be influenced by stuff without really thinking about it too consciously. I always have loved listening to The Left Banke’s instrumentation and The Moody Blues’ string parts. Most of the string parts come from trying to emulate The Moody Blues [laughs] or The Left Banke. I’m obsessed with The Left Banke.

BLADE: “Walk Away Renée,” right?

TIMONY: Yes. This guy, Michael Brown, was such a genius. He wrote so much stuff as a teenager. His dad was a string arranger. Anyway, I love those string parts. I was listening to this prog-rock band The Strawbs and this early (Ronnie) Dio band Elf. (The Flying) Burrito Brothers and The Byrds, too. I love Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. Richard Thompson and I was really obsessed with Gerry Rafferty’s early solo record called “Can I Have My Money Back?” I love that record. I was listening to it a ton when I was arranging the songs.

BLADE: Why was the song “Dominoes” selected as the first single from “Untame The Tiger?”

TIMONY: I don’t know. I let other people tell me [laughs]. I really hate sequencing records and I hate choosing singles. I’m just too close to it. I can’t tell what people are going to like or not. A lot of times, the ones that I like are not the ones that other people like. I asked (the people at) the label and they suggested that. I think it’s more poppy sounding. Dave Fridmann mixed that one and “Don’t Disappear” and he’s a genius mixer. and these mixers are always very pleasing and accessible sounding. I think that has something to do with it, too.

BLADE: Earlier, we talked about your long history of playing music with others, which reminded me of your guest spot singing “All Dressed Up In Dreams,” written by gay singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt for his band The 6ths’ “Wasps’ Nest” album. 

TIMONY: He’s such a genius!

BLADE: How did that come about?

TIMONY: When I moved to Boston, for a year I lived with Claudia (Gonson of Merritt’s band The Magnetic Fields), who is his drummer. I lived in a group house in Cambridge. I was friends with Claudia, and Stephin lived a few blocks away. She told me he was making this record with guest singers they wanted to go over and sing on it. I went over there one day and he taught me the song and I sang on it.  I think he’s one of the best songwriters of the last 50 years or whatever.

BLADE: I completely agree. As someone who has collaborated with Stephin, are you aware of an LGBTQ+ following for your own music?

TIMONY: I don’t know. I think maybe a little bit. I’d love that. I love everybody who can connect with it, because all I’m trying to do is connect with people.

Mary Timony (Photo by Chris Grady)
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Sherry Vine is turning 60 — and she’s not quitting anytime soon

Legendary drag queen coming to D.C. for new show, ‘Smoke and Mirrors’

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Sherry Vine performs in D.C. on March 9. (Photo courtesy of Sherry Vine)

There are many things Sherry Vine is proud of. Throughout her 33-year-long career, the drag queen has accomplished so much — she’s released music, launched her own variety show and toured across the United States and Europe. 

But what she loves the most about her career is making people laugh. 

This calling to be a comedy queen started before her formal drag career. In high school, she remembers taking part in the musicals, and Vine would find joy in making people laugh by wittily changing song lyrics. 

“Then it just evolved into doing that as the act,” Vine said in an interview with the Blade. 

From the beginning of her career, she’s made singing live parodies a central part of her performance as a drag queen. And for her 60th birthday, she knew she wanted to put on an extravaganza. 

Vine is coming to the Woolly Mammoth on March 9 while on tour for her new show “Smoke and Mirrors,” performed and written by her. It’ll include new parodies, from Bruce Springsteen to ABBA. The D.C.-based drag queen Tara Hoot will be a special guest at the show. 

There’s a lot that led up to this milestone year for Vine. It all started with developing her character more than 30 years ago. 

Developing Sherry Vine

Vine describes her persona as a down-on-her-luck showgirl from Las Vegas with a heart of gold. 

She was always obsessed with stars like Joey Heatherton and Stella Stevens. Not to suggest those stars are down-on-their-luck showgirls, Vine said, but she wanted to evoke a sex kitten mentality. Her character eventually morphed into what it is today from these inspirations. 

But at first, Vine said she thought she had to look funny to be funny. 

“I didn’t care about the makeup. I didn’t wear big breasts. I just thought I had to look like a clown,” Vine said. 

When she moved to New York City in 1992, she was surrounded by queens who balanced being funny and gorgeous simultaneously. That was eye-opening for her, she said. 

Now, she relishes surprising people, she said. She’s been told she looks “too pretty” to be taken for a comedy queen, but that’s OK with her. 

“I want to walk out on stage, and anyone who’s never seen me, maybe they’re like, ‘Oh, she looks good,’” Vine said. “And then I started singing about poop and penis and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s so stupid.’”

When she was starting out as a drag queen, Vine reflected that she didn’t envision doing drag as a career. She remembers not wanting to commit to it. She wanted to be a movie star, she said. 

“I kind of fought it. I loved it,” Vine said. “But I was like, I’m not doing this as a career.’”

But once she let go of fighting it, her career exploded. She got connected with RuPaul and was on two television specials in the 1990s. That support was crucial, Vine said, and helped her believe in herself more. 

“I was like, ‘Oh, OK. If this person thinks that I have something, then maybe I do,’” Vine said. 

Drag has changed — a lot 

(Photo courtesy of Sherry Vine)

The drag scene has changed drastically. Vine credits a lot of this transformation to “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” 

“When we started doing drag 30 years ago, no one in their right mind would have been like, ‘I’m going to do drag so I can make a lot of money and be famous,’” Vine said. 

Before RuPaul’s iconic single “Supermodel (You Better Work),” one of the only examples of drag the average consumer saw was “Mrs. Doubtfire,” Vine said.  

“You had to have a passion for it,” Vine said. “You had to have a calling.”

When Vine started, drag was a fringe art form that had an audience of mostly gay men. 

Nowadays, it’s mainstream. Drag is enjoyed by a much wider audience, and is more of a way to become famous. When Vine was coming up in the industry, there were few ways to get on TV and in films as a drag queen, short of playing a character that was murdered on “Law & Order,” she said. 

But even though drag has evolved and grown in popularity, Vine’s advice to drag queens has stayed the same over the years. 

“Don’t try to do something because you think someone else is doing it successfully,” Vine said. “Find what you do, and then exploit and explore that.”

Looking back, looking ahead 

Out of her multi-decade run as a drag queen, Vine said she’s most proud of the longevity of her career. There are a few people who have been in it as long as she has — Lady Bunny and Miss Coco Peru, for example. Few others have made it as long as Vine, she said.  

She stresses that she can’t take credit for creating things, but she takes pride in being one of the first drag queens to go viral on YouTube in the 2000s. Her “Bad Romance” parody, released in 2009, racked up more than 6 million views over the years. 

In the next few years, she’s looking into doing more television and film projects. Her latest show, “The Sherry Vine Variety Show,” just wrapped filming its third season. Creating this show is fulfilling a childhood dream of hers, she said. It’s an homage to “The Carol Burnett Show,” which Vine grew up watching. 

Whether it’s performing on camera or onstage, Vine doesn’t see herself quitting anytime soon. 

“I love performing and drag as much now as I did 33 years ago,” Vine said. “So I don’t see ever stopping.”

To get details on how to buy tickets to “Smoke and Mirrors,” visit woollymammoth.net/productions/sherry-vine.

(Image courtesy of Sherry Vine)
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Girls Rock! DC empowers young people through music, social justice education

Organization founded in October 2007

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Youth leaders of Girls Rock DC! (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Girls Rock! DC, an organization operating at the intersection of art and activism, is dedicated to empowering young people through music and social justice education. 

Since its founding in October 2007; Girls Rock! DC has been creating a supportive, inclusive and equitable space that centers around girls and nonbinary youth, with a special emphasis on uplifting Black and Brown youth. At the core of Girls Rock! DC’s mission is a unique approach to music education, viewing it through a social justice and equity lens. 

“It’s a place where people can come explore their interest in music in a safe environment, figure out their own voice, and have a platform to say it,” Board Vice Chair Nicole Savage said.

This approach allows D.C.’s young people to build a sense of community and explore their passion for social change through after-school programs, workshops and camps.

The organization’s roots trace back to the first rock camp for girls in August 2001 in Portland, Ore. Similar camps have emerged worldwide since then, forming the International Girls Rock Camp Alliance. Girls Rock! DC is a member of this alliance, contributing to the larger community’s growth and advocacy for inclusivity in the music industry.

Girls Rock! DC’s annual programs now serve more than 100 young people and 20 adults, offering after-school programs and camps. Participants receive instruction on the electric guitar, the electric bass, keyboards, drum kits and other instruments or on a microphone and form bands to write and perform their own original songs. Beyond music, the program includes workshops on underrepresented histories in the music industry, community injustice issues and empowerment topics that include running for office and body positivity.

“I’ve been playing shows in the D.C. music scene for about six years, and I feel like Girls Rock! DC is the perfect amalgamation of everything that I stand for,” said Outreach Associate Lily Mónico. “So many music spaces are male dominated and I think there is a need for queer femme youth in music.”

Lily Mónico (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident not only in its leadership but also in the way it creates a safe space for queer and nonbinary individuals. Language is a crucial component, and Girls Rock! DC ensures that both campers and volunteers embrace inclusivity. 

“It is a very open and creative space, where there’s no judgment,” Zadyn Higgins, one of the youth leaders, emphasized. “It is the first time for a lot of us, to be in a space where we’re truly able to be ourselves.”

In creating a safe environment, Girls Rock! DC implements practices that include name tags with preferred names and pronouns, along with pronoun banners that help kids understand and respect diverse identities. 

“It’s really cool to watch these kids understand and just immediately get it,” said Higgins. 

Zadyn Higgins (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Girls Rock! DC is also more than a music education organization; it’s a community where individuals can embark on a transformative journey that extends beyond their initial participation as campers. Many start their Girls Rock! DC experience as enthusiastic campers, learning to play instruments, forming bands and expressing their creativity in a supportive environment. The organization’s impact, however, doesn’t stop there. This inspiration leads them to volunteer and intern within the organization. 

The unique progression from camper to volunteer or intern, and eventually to a full-fledged role within the organization, exemplifies Girls Rock! DC as a place where growth is not confined to a single week of camp but extends into an ongoing, impactful journey. It’s a testament to the organization’s commitment to nurturing talent, empowering individuals and fostering a lifelong connection with the values for which Girls Rock! DC stands.

One of the highlights of Girls Rock! DC is its summer camp, where kids between 8-18 learn to play instruments, form bands, write songs and perform in just one week. Higgins shared a poignant moment from a showcase,

“To see them go from, like, crying a little bit about how scared they were to going out on the stage and performing their little hearts out was so sweet,” said Higgins.

(Photo courtesy of Frankie Amitrano of Girls Rock! D.C.)

Nzali Mwanza-Shannon, another youth leader, agreed that the camp is the highlight of the program. 

“The summer camp, I’ve met so many friends, and it’s always kind of scary coming up to the end, but after we get to perform and everything, I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten the opportunity to perform and meet new people and be so creative and do it all in a week,” said Mwanza-Shannon.

Forty-three young people who showcased their original songs and DJ sets at D.C.’s legendary 9:30 Club attended the first Girls Rock! DC camp in 2007. They performed to a crowd of 700 enthusiastic fans. The organization since then has grown exponentially, with each passing year bringing more energy, vibrancy and fun to the camp experience.

Since the pandemic, however, the organization has struggled financially, experiencing a funding shortage as well as reduced growth in attracting new members. 

Augusta Smith, who is a youth leader and a member of the band Petrichor, expressed concern about the potential impact on the unique and friendly environment that Girls Rock! DC provides. 

“We’ve kind of been really slow and barely making enough money. And this year, we’re having a funding shortage,” said Smith. 

The impact of Girls Rock! DC extends beyond musical skills, fostering leadership, self-expression and a passion for social change through creative collaboration and community power-building. Mwanza-Shannon hopes to be a part of Girls Rock! DC for a long time, 

“I want to keep on meeting new people,” said Mwanza-Shannon. “I want to keep on being able to perform at these different places and have different experiences.”

(Photo courtesy of Frankie Amitrano of Girls Rock! DC)
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