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Holiday-themed 2017 albums a mixed bag

Sia, Hanson, Fantasia among pop acts tackling Xmas standards

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Christmas albums, gay news, Washington Blade

This year’s holiday-themed albums are a mixed bag. Kaskade has one of the best; many others will have limited appeal beyond the various acts’ core fan base.

Every holiday season, shoppers are inundated with a seemingly endless choice of festive new musical offerings to add to the family’s traditional repertoire. This year is no exception with multiple new releases that cater to just about every style imaginable. We’ve examined 10 of the most prominent new holiday offerings and ranked them in descending order as most to least essential new additions to your holiday music library. (Christmas albums 2017)

No. 1. Kaskade ‘Kaskade Christmas’

The Chicago-based EDM titan Kaskade might seen an odd choice to create a Christmas album, but he delivered a surefire winner, easily the must-own holiday album of the 2017 season. “Kaskade Christmas” is made for adding to that holiday party mix, elegant, festive and uber-cool. Kaskade’s electronic rhythms are stripped-down and painted with Christmasy touches throughout and the vocalists he brings in keep with the chilly minimalism that is a nice contrast to the often over-the-top boisterousness of a typical holiday album. Two particular standouts are classic ballads: “Silent Night” features a sweet vocal performance by Ilsey, and “Holy Night” is Christmas cool, a seamless blend of the traditional and modern. This album was obviously a labor of love for Kaskade and he’s created the essential holiday soundtrack for those classier and elegant gatherings where you want holiday, but not anything close to the crap that blares over department store speakers.

2. Gwen Stefani ‘You Make it Feel Like Christmas’

Gwen Stefani has managed energetic ska/rock during her earlier days with No Doubt and then managed the transition to Top 40 dance/pop solo star. For her first holiday album, “You Make it Feel Like Christmas,” Stefani takes on the role that she’s always managed to fill no matter what style she’s singing: entertainer. “You Make it Feel Like Christmas” is a a glossy frivolity, all smiles and cheer, with an engaging old-school vibe and sparkling vocals. The songs are mostly standards: “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Baby” (well, duh), and “the modern standard, Wham’s “Last Christmas.” Naturally, there’s a duet with her hunky beau Blake Shelton, the upbeat and jubilant “You Make it Feel Like Christmas.” Stefani delivers a knockout of a Christmas album, fun and classy, elegant and bursting with holiday cheer. If you add one Christmas album to your library this year, you could do far worse than “You Make it Feel Like Christmas.”

3. Leslie Odom, Jr. ‘Simply Christmas’

Tony Award-winning star of “Hamilton,” Leslie Odom, Jr. delivers the sweetly soulful “Simply Christmas.” Odom is obviously going for a classic vibe and he achieves this down to the black and white album photo that could have been lifted straight from an earlier generation. Odom’s supple voice shines as he runs through mostly familiar classics, with a few lesser-known gems thrown in for variety. Odom’s take on “The Christmas Song,” a carol that’s been performed and recorded countless times, is particularly reverent and sublime. “Simply Christmas” is heavy on the ballads, so if you’re going for upbeat holiday party music this might not be the best choice, but for a romantic evening in front of the fireplace it couldn’t be more perfect.

4. Cheap Trick ‘Christmas Christmas’

Legendary power-rockers Cheap Trick are the latest rockers to put their stamp on the holidays and they turn in a solid effort on “Christmas Christmas.” The songs are mostly lesser-known tracks, although they do tackle a couple ballads: “Silent Night” doesn’t quite work, but their bluesy take on “Please Come Home for Christmas” is a delight. The rockers are best, though, especially “Run Rudolph Run,” “Merry Christmas Darlings” and the epic “Merry Xmas Everybody.” Cheap Trick’s “Christmas Christmas” will likely never be considered a classic holiday album, but it’s certainly a worthy effort by a venerable band still going strong.

5. Fantasia ‘Christmas After Midnight’

“American Idol” favorite Fantasia goes for the elegant romantic side of the holiday with a sophisticated set of classics and lesser-known tunes that’s pleasant enough, but doesn’t really live up to its full potential given the dynamic power of Fantasia’s voice. It’s a little too smooth and over-produced. Still, it’s far from a disaster and there are moments of pure joy. Fantasia’s jazzy saunter on “The Snow is Falling” is great, and “Merry Christmas, Baby” is the song on which her sparkling personality shines through the brightest. Yeah, we get another dose of “The Christmas Song,” “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and Fantasia’s renditions are pretty if unmemorable. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is performed as a duet with Cee-Lo Green, and while Fantasia nails the pert attitude in her vocal, the song itself never quite gets beyond its usual creepiness. “Christmas After Midnight” feels like it could have been more impactful, but it’s not awful by any means. Fantasia fans will love it; appeal beyond that is limited.

6. Lindsey Stirling ‘Warmer in the Winter’

Violinist Lindsey Stirling offers up her dazzling musical skills on “Warmer in the Winter,” a mostly light-hearted collection heavy on the fun. An early highlight is a cleverly arranged take on “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” featuring popular teen vocalist Sabrina Carpenter. There are also moments of breathtaking beauty, such as Stirling’s angelic instrumental renditions of “Carol of the Bells” and “What Child is This” (although technically the song was “Greensleeves” before the lyrics were written much later, so if it’s instrumental it shouldn’t really be titled “What Child is This” …. Eh, whatever. It’s beautiful). The shrillness of Stirling’s violin does kinda grate after a while, so this album might be better suited for a shuffle mix rather than listening all the way through.

7. Alabama ‘American Christmas’

Country legends Alabama released their classic “Christmas,” a 1985 collection that has become a standard, thanks in part to the smash “Christmas in Dixie.” For their latest, “American Christmas,” Alabama adds four originals to a mix of standards that also includes a new version of “Christmas in Dixie.” A mix of religious and secular tunes, “American Christmas” is an earnest collection that doesn’t really grab you, but is perfectly fine for background music or as part of a mix to play on Christmas morning. Perhaps, inevitably though, there is one maudlin ballad: “First Christmas Without Daddy.” It’s poignant, but for those of us who quickly flip through “Blue Christmas” and prefer holiday music not drenched in sadness, it’s not likely to be at the top of our holiday playlist. The album as a whole is solid if predictable, which perhaps is the point. With Alabama you know what you’re gonna get and that ain’t necessarily a bad thing.

8. Sia ‘Everyday is Christmas’

It must have seemed like a sure thing: pop phenom Sia, one of the top purveyors of pop gold these days both as a songwriter and performer, teaming up with uber-producer and songwriter Greg Kurstin on a collection of newly written Christmas songs with a modern pop sheen. A holiday album of all new originals is a bit unusual these days, as people are largely traditionalists when it comes to Christmas and like to hear their standards. It can work, though, if this songs are good enough. On “Everyday is “Christmas,” alas, they just aren’t. It’s a bit like tinsel that’s supposed to make your tree all shiny and festive but instead turns it cheap and tacky. “Puppies are Forever” (yeah, really) is about as odious a throwaway as you’ll find, “Ho Ho Ho” tries to be festive but Sia’s overly mannered vocals never convey anything other than an affinity for autotune. The ballad “Underneath the Mistletoe” is nice enough, but by and large “Everyday is Christmas” falls flat.

9. Hanson ‘Finally It’s Christmas’

Two decades ago, back when they were still a teen-pop sensation, Hanson released the now-standard holiday collection “Snowed In.” Now in their 30s, the trio delivers the long-awaiting follow-up, “Finally It’s Christmas” and it’s not quite so quite. It’s overproduced, forced and never transcends its rather bland formula. Not much personality or sincerity to be found. The song selections are uninspired as well: did the world really need another version of the already migraine-inducing “Wonderful Christmas Time”? Sir Paul still has yet to atone for unleashing that atrocity upon the world and Hanson renders it, if anything, even more annoying. Their attempt at a Christmas-rock “Til New Years Night” is limp and the obligatory cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” has all the personality of water-down eggnog (without rum). Unless you’re a Hanson aficionado (and apparently they do exist), “Finally It’s Christmas” can safely stay in its shrinkwrap. “Snowed In” is by far the better of the two, with the younger version of the trio actually managing to instill some enthusiasm and holiday spirit, unlike this leaden collection.

10. ‘The Star (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)’

Sony Pictures’ critically panned animated Christmas film “The Star” has an accompanying soundtrack that is, well, as bad as the firm purportedly is (and I make no claims to having seen it, but the reviews are pretty harsh). Most of the tracks are performed by gospel or contemporary Christian artists and it’s a mixed bag. Casting Crowns perhaps owns the gem of the collection with the beautiful “His Eye is on the Sparrow” and country singer Jake Owen does a nice job on “What Child is This?” Zara Larsson doesn’t quite have the gravitas to pull off a convincing “Mary, Did You Know?” (check out Cee-Lo Green’s definitive version from a few years back instead). The big opening ballad and title song, “The Star” by Mariah Carey, is insipid and dreary. There are a few tracks worth downloaded from your favorite online retailer, but the album as a whole is spotty.

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Rehoboth author’s new book tackles love, loss, and the allure of P-town

Will Freshwater’s series concludes with ‘The Dark Horse’

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Author Will Freshwater’s new book ‘The Dark Horse’ is out now.

For those of us who have experienced the allure of Provincetown, there’s no mystery about why author Will Freshwater set his series of three books there. 

It’s not just about the scenic, remote location, or the many fine restaurants and spirited bars and nightclubs and theme weekends. Not just the picturesque harbor and its famed magical light. It’s about a shared sense of community unique among LGBTQ destinations.

Freshwater, whose latest book “The Dark Horse” is out now, lives in Rehoboth Beach, Del., with his husband Stephen Cremen. And although Rehoboth became home after Freshwater retired from a career as a corporate attorney at Verizon in 2021, P-town always beckons. He first visited during the height of the AIDS crisis.

“I don’t think we’ll ever experience anything like that again,” he said. “The community welcomed anyone who showed up on the ferry looking for love and support; it was a transformative experience.”

Freshwater’s parents worried that he’d never find a “normal,” happy life as a gay man, but P-town put those fears to rest.

“I saw people who were plenty happy and living lives that were what they wanted to be,” he recalls. “I had never been able to hold my boyfriend’s hand and walk down the street; young people can’t conceptualize that. It felt like home for me … it felt welcoming, a warm place where I could be myself.” 

So, naturally, the protagonist in his series of books, John Wells, travels to P-town from D.C. to find himself. 

The first book in the Provincetown series, “Favorite Son,” is a familiar read to any gay man of a certain age who worked on the Hill in the 1990s — the sting of the closet, the need to be the best at work, and the chance meetings of romantic partners while riding the Metro. The story of John Wells, a senior Hill staffer, takes a turn after tragedy sends him reeling to P-town to heal. 

The second book in the series, a prequel titled “The Light Reflected,” takes readers back in time when the main characters — all gay men — are in their 20s. Freshwater says it wasn’t a conscious decision to write a prequel, but that it evolved out of wanting to show younger readers what life was like for gays at that time.

“We did stupid stuff and made stupid mistakes and ran away,” he said. “As a reader I often want to know what made a character a certain way. I was aware of my audience and in my generation I had the older mentors that shared our history and they died; I wanted readers to see what it’s like for these characters to be in their 20s not just their 30s. I wanted to give that perspective to younger readers because I don’t know how they’re going to experience that if not through books.” 

The new book, “The Dark Horse,” finds the characters Danny and Peter/John in domestic life in Boston where Danny runs the family business. Everyone is feeling restless and a bit miserable. 

“It’s about what happens after the fairy tale,” Freshwater said. 

The book also confronts the issue of unresolved feelings for past boyfriends, which takes the characters back to Provincetown. There’s a shocking plot twist at the end of the second book, an unexpected ending for the romance genre, that is resolved to satisfaction in the final book. 

“You won’t know until the final four pages of the book how it resolves,” he notes.

This is the shortest book in the series and Freshwater says it took just 11 months to complete, compared to six years for the first book and eight years for the second book.

“There’s a great sense of closure and I can always visit these characters but I’m excited to move on and do new things.” 

Indeed, Freshwater is working on several new projects, including a book set in Rehoboth that he’s co-writing with a friend, the gay romance author B.J. Irons. Freshwater is writing one character, a Rehoboth local who manages an inn on Baltimore Avenue and wants to “break out of his shell.” Irons is writing the other main character, a developer from Los Angeles who moves to Rehoboth to open a large resort across the street from the inn. The book explores their friendship and business rivalry. 

Rehoboth became home for Freshwater and Cremen thanks largely to the pandemic.

“I’d been coming here since age 3 because it was the closest beach to Pittsburgh,” he said. “When I was in law school I got introduced to a guy who had a house on the beach between Rehoboth and Dewey so I used to come down a lot in the mid-1990s and became hooked.” 

The couple bought a house in Rehoboth in 2018 and split their time between there and a home in New Jersey. 

“When the pandemic started, we went to Rehoboth for two weeks thinking it would all blow over quickly and then never went back.”

 The couple began questioning their stressful lifestyle of maintaining two homes and corporate jobs. So they sold the New Jersey house and moved full time to Rehoboth in 2021. 

In addition to the new book, Freshwater is writing a children’s book using the classic “Velvet Rage” as inspiration. It features a puppy with a pink spot on his cheek while all the others in the litter have a black spot. The dog wears a mask to conceal his difference, but when it comes out everyone accepts him.

“It thematically speaks to not hiding who you are,” he said.

Freshwater offers sound advice to aspiring writers struggling to find their voice and overcome writer’s block.

“It always starts with an idea or character or theme and then you develop a broad outline and then work your butt off,” he said. “Decide when you’re going to write and make a commitment that you’re going to do it, like an athlete who commits to practice every day from 3:30-5:30. Don’t wait for inspiration, just commit to writing every day, and then edit, edit, edit until it feels like what’s inside your head.”

 The new book is self published because Freshwater craved creative freedom. 

“I’m not sure what traditional publishers have to offer anymore,” he said, “like YouTube for musicians, if you’ve got what you think is a high quality manuscript, put it out there and it will generate a following.” 

Freshwater will read from “The Dark Horse” at an event on Saturday, March 23, 5-7 p.m. at Top of the Pines (56 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach). His books are available at Amazon and anywhere books are sold. 

(Amazon screenshot)
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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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