Openly lesbian, she sang raunchy remakes of popular tunes in a deep voice, dressed in her signature men's style of tuxedo and top hat. A large, 250-pound woman, her deep voice appealed to straight, gay, black, and white audiences. 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. According to Jim Wilson, author of the book Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance, Harlem was also a community that the police turned a blind eye to during the Prohibition Era. Make sure that the file is a photo. When the ship hit an iceberg and sank, she became its youngest survivor. Gladys Bentley Death: and Cause of Death On January 18, 1960, Gladys Bentley died of non-communicable disease. Shed always been good at the piano, and heard through a friend one night that the notorious gay speakeasy the Clam House was looking for a pianist. Gladys Alberta Bentley was born on August 12, 1907, which makes her a Leo. Cookie Settings, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, Balto's DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog, The Science of California's 'Super Bloom,' Visible From Space, What We're Still Learning About Rosalind Franklins Unheralded Brilliance. Bentley made her spectacular debut on the Great White Way in 1933until it turned into an utter disaster. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Gladys Bentley's Confessions | SAPIENTIA By the 1950s, Bentley was approaching middle age and the roaring 20s of her youth and the Harlem Renaissance community that flirted with modernism was now a thing of her past. Bentley also studied to be a minister, claiming to have been "cured" by taking female hormones. She claimed that she had married a white woman in Atlantic City. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. As times progressed and federal laws continued to change, there became a point where Bentley had to carry special permits to allow her to perform in men's clothing. Gladys George - Turner Classic Movies 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. Gladys Knight and the Pips Singer Dies at Age 74 | Essence William Guest passed away on Christmas Eve from congestive heart failure. Gladys Bentley Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth Bentley began singing at rent parties and buffet flats. 0 references. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. She knew what was popular, what she could do, and what people would pay to see, he says. [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. Her vocal range was wide, as can be heard in her recordings. 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 performer. Photograph of Gladys Bentley by an unidentified photographer, 1927-45. 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. 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. Yep, the young cook later denied ever having a wedding ceremony with the singer. Gladys became severely ill in August 1958 due to undiagnosed hepatitis, brought on by alcoholism, while Elvis was serving in US Army in Germany; he . The family struggled financially. So, she went ahead and did something truly scandalous. Her shocking lyrics were accompanied by gossip column stories that readers would have found equally shocking. Sadly, Bentleys confessions dont stop there. Langston Hughes praised Bentley as an amazing exhibition of musical energya large, dark, masculine lady, whose feet pounded the floor while her fingers pounded the keyboarda perfect piece of African sculpture, animated by her own rhythm., As her star rose, Bentley began playing larger Harlem venues, like the Cotton Club and the iconic gay speakeasy the Clam House. [1] [2] [24] It was initially believed to be the "Asian flu" but later turned into "pneumonia". Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Before long, Bentleys world got turned upside down again. A large, 250-pound woman, her deep voice appealed to straight, gay, black, and white audiences. Bawdy Facts About Gladys Bentley, The Dapper Diva - Factinate Feb 2013 Script - Gladys Bentley Tribute - Queer Music Heritage Cookie Policy In fact, she was often the source. The 1950s were even more conservative than the early part of the 20th century. There is a problem with your email/password. Still, Bentley had bigger dreams on her mind. Category:Gladys Bentley - Wikimedia Commons "Gladys Bentley should be remembered for being a gender outlaw," says Wilson. Date of Death: July 19, 2017. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. She moved to speakeasies and night clubs in Jungle Alley, the center of Harlem's sporting life. Oops, we were unable to send the email. She'd been lying about her age to conceal the fact that she was four years older than Vernon Presley. It only got worse from there. Nevertheless, losing Jesse still affected the King deeply. 100 Women: Gladys West - the 'hidden figure' of GPS - BBC News The headline sent shockwaves through America. A system error has occurred. 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. That all changed in the blink of an eye. Search above to list available cemeteries. The singer was infamous for making up juicy stories about herself, and this Don remains a vague figure in Bentleys life. Gladys Presley died on August 14, 1958, at the age of 46, due to a heart attack. place of burial. The Prohibition Era had come to an end, and now white pleasure-seekers frequented Harlem far less than before. Gladys Bentley knew how to live life to the fullest, and with her large, bodacious build and flashy sense of style, she had no problem getting women to fall into bed with her. Bentleys fame was a product of being both a gifted singer and an adept provocateur. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. "She was always my best girl." At her funeral, Elvis was inconsolable. Openly lesbian, she sang raunchy remakes of popular tunes in a deep voice, dressed in her signature mens style of tuxedo and top hat. Will Photograph of Gladys Bentley by an unidentified photographer, 1927-45. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career,[16] but during the McCarthy Era, she started wearing dresses and married (within five months of meeting) Charles Roberts, age 28, a cook, in a civil ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in 1952. When she brought little Gladys home, she refused to nurse the girl, leaving Bentleys grandmother to raise the infant on a bottle for six months. Was Bentley slowly unraveling? Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Suddenly, she had to get a special permit to wear mens clothing for her performances, and endured heckling on the streets. 1 reference. Fictional characters based on Bentley appeared in Carl Van Vechten's novel Parties, Clement Woods' novel Deep River, and Blair Niles' novel Strange Brother. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Then, she made a jaw-dropping decision. She had been living in California with her mother and was waiting to be ordained as a minister in the Temple of Love in Christ, Inc. Today, she is being rediscovered for the same reason that her story was obscured during her youth. Before joining the team, she worked as a course lecturer while completing her Ph.D. in English Literature. Roberts later denied that they had ever married. Gladys Bentley - WorldCat The Wayward Life of Gladys Bentley - Paris Review The duo insisted that Bentley left them high and dry at the rise of the club and wanted to pursue other interests that she could financially benefit from. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. [27] Bentley was one of the featured obituaries in Overlooked No More. Date of death: August 5, 2017. It's a woman, Wilson says. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Bentley met Don when he phoned her up one day, claiming to know a mutual friend. She was a pioneer in pushing the envelope of gender, sexuality, class, and race with parody and exaggeration, personally and professionally. Maybe thats why things took a turn for the tragic. When Gladys Presley passed away on August 14, 1958, Elvis was only 23 years old. On top of that, the news got out in a sensational way. Jim Weatherly Dead at 77 - People She tried to continue her musical career but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. Try this on for size: For one of her sweatiest performances, Bentley combined the titles and lyrics of the popular songs Sweet Alice Blue Gown and Georgia Brown to make one mightily controversial ditty abouter, how do I put thisthe backdoor bedroom act. The cause of death is pending toxicology results from the Frankfort lab, said Mercer Coroner Sonny Ransdell. That year, she claimed that she married an unknown woman in a civil ceremony in Atlantic City, a practically unheard-of move. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? The gossip columnist asked, well, who's the man? And she scoffed and said, Man? At the peak of her career, the singer was . "It broke my heart," Elvis Presley said. Gladys Bentley: Blues Singer - Smithsonian American Women's History Gipson shortly after arriving on the West coast. And that was the least of her revelations. Haleema Shah is the host and associate producer for the Smithsonian's "Sidedoor" podcast, and a journalist who believes in using audio to enable audiences to delve deep into the ideas that shape our world. Who was Elvis Presley's mother Gladys? The heartbreaking story - Smooth [12] Bentley was known for taking popular songs and putting a promiscuous spin on them. The after-theater club near Broadway was where a troupe of liberally painted male sepians with effeminate voices and gestures performed behind entertainer Gladys Bentley, who was no less provocative for early 20th-century America. Gladys Alberta Bentley (1907-1960) - Find a Grave Memorial That year, Bentley took up with kitchen cook Charles Roberts, marrying him after a whirlwind courtship. Bentley became an active member of the "Temple of Love In Christ" Church and was on her way to becoming an ordained minister at the time of her death from pneumonia at the age of 52. Gladys Bentley's speakeasy from the Harlem Renaissance, "Clam Jam," was a gay nightlife scene 100 years ahead of its time. [20], In 1930, Bentley lived with a woman named Beatrice Robert. Persian Wikipedia. Gladys Bentley, one of the most flamboyant blues entertainers of the 20th century, began performing in New York City as a singer and male impersonator. 08/12/1907 . 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. Some even claimed that her infamous penthouse, complete with a coterie of servants and a car, actually belonged to one of Bentleys rich lesbian lovers. Thanks for your time! Unlike other notorious party girls -- including Barbara Payton and Lila Leeds -- she consistently delivered solid performances over the course of a half-century career. A cause of death wasn't. That one had to hurt. 03.12.2019. Note: Although some historians view Bentley as a trans-masculine figure, she used she/her pronouns throughout her life. Blues Singer. The performer had survived a harsh life up until this point, but she was about to spiral out of control. She also appeared at the the Apollo Theater and the Cotton Club. In the early 1930s, she headlined at Harlem's Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. When Bentley ran away from home, she was certainly disillusioned with her familybut she was also hiding a huge secret. . For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. 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. Her career continued after that point, though briefly. Like a great number of lost souls, I inhabited that half-shadow no mans land which exists between the boundaries of the two sexes.. Bentley was known for being open about her lesbianism, and incorporated it into her stage show. Table showing information for name claims, including the name itself . Her success picked up again during World War II with the expansion of gay bars on the West Coast. For the Smithsonians Sidedoor podcast, host Haleema Shah tells the story of an unapologetically gay African-American performer in 1920s and 30s. 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". Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. Gladys Bentley should be remembered for being a gender outlaw, says Wilson. When prohibition ended in the 1930s, it was a slow, painful death for Bentleys career, and her speakeasy gigs started to dry up as booze flooded the public markets. Over the course of their acquaintance, Bentley came to realize Don was a normal man who was utterly devoted to her, and they eventually started a romantic relationship and even, according to Bentley, married. Shed made a scandalous name for herself singing her dirty songs, and audiences came out in droves. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career, but during the McCarthy Era in the 1950s, she started wearing dresses and married (within five months of meeting) Charles Roberts, age 28, a cook, in a civil ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in 1952. Her biggest dramas, however, were yet to come. Gladys Bentley (stage name, Bobbie Minton) was a Harlem Renaissance blues singer and cross dresser. Early the next morning at 3:15 AM on August 14, Gladys Presley, the 46-year-old mother of Elvis, died from a heart attack due to hepatitis complications. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Bentley died on March 2 at Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center. After graduating from the rent party circuit, Bentley got her shot at becoming a nightclub performer. When Gladys died in 1958, newspapers around the world gave her age as 42, when she was really 46. Eventually, Gladys grew old enough to notice this icy upbringingand the consequences were devastating. When Bentley relocated to Los Angeles, she allegedly married J. T. Gibson, who died in 1952,[22] the same year in which she married Charles Roberts, a cook in Los Angeles; they were married in Santa Barbara, California, went on a honeymoon in Mexico. While in Los Angeles, Bentley was up to her usual tricks in the beginningfrequenting and performing at gay bars and scoping out beautiful new lovers. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. Her performances were "comical, sweet and risqu"[9] for the era and the audience. The cause of death was a heart attack, and it was later discovered that one of the contributing factors was liver failure due to alcohol poisoning. Though Bentley was in the process of finding herself, these discoveries only made her family more disgusted with her. Heck no. Season 3. Gladys Bentley Society on Instagram: "This incredible human is a living When Bentley approached young, impressionable women at her clubs, she would often get them in the mood by asking them to sing dirty lyrics into her microphone. Some have argued that her shocking tell-all was, at least partly, Bentleys way of staying relevant. What she found was absolute infamy. Gladys Knight dead 2023 : The Empress of Soul killed by celebrity death Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Gladys Bentley (7634493)? 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. Even as a teenage girl of 16, Bentley had grown into a headstrong young woman, and she was sick and tired of feeling rejected. She was a big woman, about 250 to 300 pounds and wore . 2013.46.25.15 Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Lynda Baron: Open All Hours and Come Outside actress dies aged 82 Gladys was ill throughout the summer of 1958, so she and husband Vernon Presley returned to Memphis in early August to see her personal physician. Gladys Alberta Bentley (12 Aug 1907 - certain 18 Jun 1960) 0 references . In shock and disbelief Elvis rushed to the hospital. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. She started to perform at prohibition-era rent parties, soirees that charged guests a fee to come enjoy a house party with booze and entertainment. The Tragic Real-Life Story Of The Presley Family - Grunge Bentley moved to Los Angeles to live with her mother. In the 1920s, speakeasies ruled New York City, and Gladys Bentley ruled the speakeasies. When she eventually left the Clam House for the swanky Ubangi Club on Park Avenue, she reportedly rented an extravagant penthouse apartment that would have raised her mothers eyebrows. When Bentley came up to a hot young thing, she had one go-to move. 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. Thanks for your help! At least, I always thought I was." Gladys Bentley was a triple threata singer, a dancer, and a lesbian. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. In 1958, Bentley, who grew up in Philadelphia, appeared on Groucho Marxs game show You Bet Your Life where she said she was from Port-au-Spain (her mother happened to be Trinidadian). On May 15, 1958, she appeared on Groucho Marxs quiz series You Bet Your Life, where she played piano and sang the jazz classic Them There Eyes. Little did anyone know, however, that Bentley didnt have much time left. And in the end, shed have to grab that fame back with both hands. Bentley moved to California, where she continued recording music, touring and performing in upscale supper clubs and bars, but Wilson says her act was a toned down version of what it was at the height of her fame in New York. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. She was the eldest of four children in a low-income family living at 1012 W. Euclid Ave. in North Philadelphia[4] and always felt unwanted or rejected because her mother desperately wanted her to have been born a boy: "When they told my mother she had given birth to a girl, she refused to touch me. Yet the reality behind her death was far too simple, and far too tragic. . Drag images here or select from your computer for Gladys Alberta Bentley memorial. "Biblical Gender Bending in Harlem: The Queer Performance of Nugent's Salome. I finally convinced him. With the repeal of Prohibition, her popularity and public tolerance of openly gay persons waned. For Hoedel, any such claims are just baseless "romanticism." When Gladys Bentley performed in speakeasies, especially at the beginning of her career, a curious thing started happening. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. She was only 46 years old. Performing in a signature white top hat, tuxedo and tails, Bentley sang raunchy songs laced with double-entendres that thrilled and scandalized her audiences. In her music, she called out men and openly sang about sexual relationships which was seen as risqu behavior at the time. As Bentley put it, My hands fairly flew over the keys. And the response was legendary. She is buried beside her mother at Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson, California. 1,242 likes, 52 comments - Gladys Bentley Society (@gladysbentleysoc) on Instagram: "This incredible human is a living testament to the power of faith, will, resilience, and service . There was a problem getting your location. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). We see a real change so that somebody who is identified as lesbian or gay is considered a national menace. At the time of her death, she was 53 years old. The unknown cause explained a tragic death that had occurred decades earlier. Elvis Presley's mother, Gladys Presley, died on August 14, 1958, of a heart attack. At the time of her death, she was 53 years old. The cause of her death was most likely due to the stress of Elvis' career and the demands of being a single mother. Failed to report flower. . In later years, she participated in Titanic-related events after the wreckage was discovered. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Gladys George was one of the movies' greatest hard-luck dames, both on- and off-screen. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. But theres something very disturbing about this story. Visitation . The world's biggest star was found in his bathroom at Graceland on August 16, 1977, and pronounced dead at Memphis Baptist Memorial Hospital. Gladys Bentley Death: and Cause of Death On January 18, 1960, Gladys Bentley died of non-communicable disease. Heck, I volunteer as tribute. Oops, something didn't work. Try again. Gladys was diagnosed with hepatitis shortly after, and her symptoms worsened significantly after that. She surprised her audience by wearing dresses and publicly declaring in an August 1952 Ebony article, I am woman again. Her literary assertions of marriage to two different men could not be verified. . She was just defiant in who she was, and for gender and sexuality studies today, she shows the performance of gender.. Elvis had an emergency opportunity to visit her, but she did not make it. Gladys Bentley came into this world on August 12, 1907 as the eldest child of George Bentley and his wife Mary Mote. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. This browser does not support getting your location. I Am A Woman Again, Bentley declared, disavowing the gender-bending performances that had made her famous. This happened even at her star-studded Hollywood shows, which would have the likes of Mary Astor and Barbara Stanwyck watching from the audience. She went to Broadway anywaybut she would live to regret it. based on information from your browser. Name a Woman: Pioneering Drag King Gladys Bentley Instead, she exerted a 'black female masculinity' that troubled the distinctions between black and white and masculine and feminine".[25]. By 1933, Bentley headlined in nightclubs and theatres such as The Cotton Club and The Apollo. Hansberry insisted that the club had been built around the popularity of Bentley's success and that he owned a five-year contract over Bentley and her raunchy songs. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. 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. Some pearl-clutching patrons complained, and the citys response was swift and brutal. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. We want our readers to trust us. 0 references. Elvis Presley Cause of Death: How Did 'The King' Die? Please enter your email and password to sign in. Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Inside these hidden, smoky rooms, Bentley astounded and scandalized audiences with her booming voice, her impeccably tailored suits, and her raunchy lyrics. Get the latest information about timed passes and tips for planning your visit, Search the collection and explore our exhibitions, centers, and digital initiatives, Online resources for educators, students, and families, Engage with us and support the Museum from wherever you are, Find our upcoming and past public and educational programs, Learn more about the Museum and view recent news, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of African American History & Culture. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Bentley died of pneumonia unexpectedly at her home in Los Angeles on January 18, 1960, aged 52. "Goodbye, darling. She wouldn't even nurse me and my grandmother had to raise me for 6 months on a bottle before they could persuade my mother to take care of her own baby. All Rights Reserved. When Bentley finished her performance, the room burst into applause. Gladys Bentley was born in Philadelphia in 1907 to a Trinidadian woman and an American man. Significant Dates. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Singing the Gender-Bending Blues. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Learn more about this trailblazer on the Smithsonian Sidedoorpodcast episode"Singing the Gender-Bending Blues. At the time of her death, she had been more involved in the church and had just been ordained as a minister despite never getting her official paperwork.

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