Exclusive Q&A with Sarah Dash ~ part 2 of 2

In part 2 of my Q&A with the one and only, inimitable Sarah Dash, we discuss her work with Keith Richards and The Rolling Stones, Megatone Records and Sylvester, the possibility of a Labelle reunion, and much more. On a personal note, I first met Sarah after a show at the Laurie Beechman. I had just come back from Floida after my mom had died. When my good friend, Kevin Scott Hall, invited me, he told me it would be good to get back out. He was right. During her patter, Sarah talked about her own mom dying and it touched me deeply. At the meet-&-greet after the show, we talked about our mothers' passings. There were tears and hugs and I was surprised at how warm and loving Sarah was. I indeed felt Lucky Tonight that evening.

Sarah Dash: Are you all right?
Buddy Beaverhausen: [Recovering from a coughing fit.] Just my sinuses. They're really bad today. I read on Twitter you have a cold and...pink eye?!
SD: Yes. I thought I had a cold but it's allergies. And, of course, at 54 Below, I was crying tears of joy and rubbing my eyes from the paper napkins on the table, so that might be how I picked up pink eye. The other thing is, at the hotel, I was sleeping on feather pillows which I'm allergic to. But I was so tired when I got into NYC, I just crashed!
BB: I heard you didn't even take your make-up off.
SD: Well, that was after the show, on Sunday, I just passed out with a full face of make-up on after talking to my sister on the phone. I was zonked! And when I woke up, I was like "What's wrong with my eyes?"
BB: Aww, that's horrible.
SD: I'm usually very conscientious about my health and my skin care and my scalp.
BB: Well, it paid off. You certainly don't look 70 by any means.
SD: Thanks, I think it's paid off. 
BB: I recently turned 63, so maybe I need some tips from you.
SD: No way! Baby, you look good! I thought you were 40-something.
BB: Bless you!

BB: I understand you'll be singing with Keith Richards again. He's said your version of "Time Is on My Side" is the best he's ever heard. Please tell us about working with Mr Richards and with The Rolling Stones.

SD: You can hear my voice on The Stones' album Steel Wheels. I love working with Keith and, yes, we have something new planned for everyone but I can't say much about that right now. I've recorded three times with Keith, and all these songs are being made available on cd. His newest, Crosseyed Heart, is being released this month sometime. I don't get to do a duet with him this time. Nora Jones does, and Aaron Neville as well. But getting to sing and work with Keith, who is amazing because he's a musical genius. Keith is an amazing guitar player and I cherish my experiences of working on the stage with him. He embraces many musical styles that I sing: jazz, blues, rock. I'm doing symphonic music now, singing Duke Ellington. I had my first live concert with a philharmonic, 50-piece orchestra this past July.
   But, getting back to Keith, when you sing with him, you get to work with the best and to shine with the best of your ability. He's a master musician and there are only a few who compare.

BB: Keith is also good friends with another '60s girl-group diva, Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes. (I think they're neighbors.) Have you and she ever met?

SD: We've never met but I admire her so very much. I haven't seen her onstage since her Brooklyn Fox days. As a talent and a unique voice, ever since I was with The Bluebelles. But also as an incredibly strong woman, to have gone through everything she's gone through and come out alive. No woman should be treated the way she was. She is a true spokeswoman for domestic abuse and I've dealt with that myself but nothing near the level of what she did.

BB: "Low Down Dirty...," "Lucky Tonight," the now-classic "Sinner Man." What was it like working with Patrick Cowley and Megatone Records, and Sylvester?

SD: I didn't actually work with Patrick because he was sick at the time. I dealt with his life partner. I remember his last name was Blackman. But he pioneered the San Francisco disco sound and we were originally to do an album together. But Blackman actually produced "Lucky Tonight" and Sylvester came to the studio and was asked to sing back-up.

BB: What was it like to work with Sylvester?

SD: He had been following Labelle when we got back from London. And he just loved the group, and he especially adored Patti and did his version of her song, "You Are My Friend." I loved him and he always came to our shows. And, once the group split up, Sylvester and I got closer and he even gave me pieces of his clothing. He was so much bigger than me, I could wear his tops as dresses. We toured some of the discos together. I love and miss him very much. When he died was right around the time my mother did, so I didn't get to see him, but Patti did.

BB: Is Labelle going to be like another great '70s group, ABBA, shutting the door on any future concerts together now matter how much money is offered, or is that not totally out of the question?

SD: I say never say never. Who knows? I heard that a producer told one of the other girls "You shouldn't be doing this and that." I recently heard from a producer interested in another reunion. But I haven't yet had the chance to talk with Nona and Patti about that.
BB: Wow, that's fresh news!
SD: See? I told you I treat you as family! I think a lot of our fans would want that and it still surprises me how much love they have for us as a group. I'm not sure if we'd be like ABBA, I'm not sure if we'll ever do another show, but I certainly won't say no.

BB: What can fans expect from Sarah Dash in the near future? And when can New Yorkers see you perform again?
SD: I'm writing a play about my life called Sarah Dash: One Woman, and I have a producer named Curtis King, who has produced people like Ruby Dee. I hope to be showcasing my artwork. I'm the Trenton musical ambassador for the Grammys and I have many other things on my plate now. And I'm preparing to get back in the studio and record again.

BB: You have such a long and stunning career and my blog consists of LGBT readers around the world, '60s girl-group fans, disco fans, Labelle fans. Any final shout outs to all of them?
SD: Thank you so much for your support, the amazing love you've shown. Thank you, Buddy Beaverhausen for this interview, thanks to Melvin Johnson and my management, and God bless you all. Much love!

Exclusive Q&A with Sarah Dash -- part 1 of 2

Sarah performing at Hearts & Voices

Gitcha gitcha ya-yas, dadas! Here's the first installment of my Q&A with the wonderful Sarah Dash. You may be surprised by many of the things you'll learn, like what a tireless political advocate and defender of human dignity she is. Sarah just turned 70 though she looks decades younger and, in this interview, we discuss the full spectrum of her career from her '60s gir-group period up until today. Thank you so much, Sarahl You are beautiful both outside and in. 

Buddy Beaverhausen: I had such a blast at your birthday brunch at 54 Below last week. Can you tell us what it was like for you?

Sarah Dash: Well, it truly exceeded all my expectations. The idea for this started in Washington, DC, and most of the people who put it together are from that area. I work with Grammy on the Hill. Each year, we go to DC and visit Congressmen and Senators at the Capitol and present them with our issues, our bills. One of them is about copyright issues. Special kudos to Congressmen Rush Holt and John Conyers for bringing this to the Floor. We also got to meet with Corey Booker and have the chance to see Michelle Obama present Alicia Keyes with a landmark award. I also met Elizabeth Warren, Grammy nominee for Spoken Word. And while I was down there, I spoke at the University of Virginia, So it was one thing after the other.
   I was going to have a little get-together at home, turn on my shiny grill and have some friends to dine with me out on the gazebo. But my friend Marvin Johnson said no. So, when I walked into the club, I was astounded. There was just so much love in the room! And everyone came to enjoy themselves. It was one of the best parties I've ever had! So many old friend, and new ones like you ~ you know, we just clicked the first time we met! Nona's speech just touched my heart, as well. It was wonderful! People came from all over the country. Tweaka Turner came all the way in from San Francisco, where she does her radio show. It was a great moment and experience and I cannot tell you just how wonderful I felt that day.

BB: At the Studio 54 event, you said you are and have been a big supporter of the LGBT community. Can you expand on that a little for our readers?
SD: Yes. When I came back to Trenton to restore and renovate the house I grew up in, I had Rush Holt there and the issue of the needs of the LGBT community came up. It's not about the shows or the glamor but these are people who have political issues. It's about human rights and treating people as equals. No one has a right to say "you're excluded" or "you're an exception." And it all started with Stonewall, of course, because sometimes that's the only way you can make yourselves heard. And the hypocrisy in this country by those who oppose equality or government assistance... that's a major problem for us. That's what we stand against. LGBT people were saying "I matter too!" Black people matter, all people matter.

BB: I heard that -- when you were with Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles -- Motown confused your voice as being Cindy Birdsong's, which is how she got selected for The Supremes. Is that true?
SD: I've heard that, too, but don't know if it's true or not. When Cindy left the group, it was quite a shock to us. But Cindy had her own career and I've been so blessed with my own. We have two very different voices and I really have no regrets about my own career path.

BB: I saw you at 54 below earlier this year at the tribute to Lesley Gore. How did you become involved in that?
SD: Tracy Stark is my musical director and she invited me to be part of this show. I always admired Lesley Gore as a singer, songwriter and ultimately a strong woman making it in what was then a man's world basically. I had just had a mammogram and that night, just before I went on, I heard from my doctor that I had to have a biopsy taken. Can you imagine what I was like that night? But I'm ok, I'm ok!

BB: Could you tell us who The Ordettes were?
SD: Oh, our girl group before The Bluebelles! It was Cindy and me and two other girls. Patti was then with the Del-Capris. We all disbanded and formed The Bluebelles together.

BB: Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles are an iconic '60s girl group. What was your favorite song from that group and do you ever perform "I sold my Heart to the Junkman" these days?
SD: I love the song and I have performed it solo, but not in a while. It's such a part of the history of the group. And I expect to be performing it in the future.

BB: I also recall you and Nona at the Laura Nyro retrospective outdoors at Lincoln Center a couple of summers back. Could you tell us about working with Laura Nyro and how that helped transition the Bluebelles to becoming Labelle?
SD: We had already become Labelle before recording that album with Laura, so it had nothing to do whatsoever with our "transitioning." What happened was: we went to London and we were managed there by The Who's management, and they were the ones to transform our lives and our onstage personas. Then, when we were performing one night, Laura Nyro came and saw us and, after the show, said, let's collaborate on something. And Gonna Take a Miracle was born. Nona and I loved being able to pay tribute to Laura, such a great artist.

[part 2 to come Wednesday]

On the Town with Buddy Beaverhausen: Pass the Marmalade, Lady, It's Sarah Dash's Birthday Brunch!

Sarah Dash's 70th birthday celebration at 54 Below was an epic luncheon that included a two-course meal, birthday cake, a cocktail named and surprise guest Nona Hendryx of Labelle and, prior to that, of Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles. It was three hours long -- but made us want even more!

A packed house turned out for the $100-per-seat affair. As for me, I ordered the poached eggs w/ chipotle hollandaise on grilled bread with spinach and a side of asparagus. I was seated with two very personable table companions, April Sette of the NJ Buzz Radio show and her friend Nancy Pertschuk, a professional shopper. I also saw friend/ musician Tracy Stark on my way into the club.

Sarah, like Pia Zadora, is a diva with her own drink. Pia has her Piatini, Sarah has her Sinner Man. I said no, I said no, I said no no no... but the cocktails kept coming. Four to be exact. Sinner Mans are prosecco with oj, honey syrup and grenadine. Yummy! I had coffee afterwards to help me get over them when the whipped cream-with-fruit cake slices came for dessert.

A Sinner Man

Best of all, however, was the entertainment. Melba Moore belted out a couple of her numbers, including "You Stepped Into My Life" and D-Train got the house up on its feet with his soulful hiNRG. The ladies from Chic (now known as Next Step) sang some '70s gold, including 'Le Freak,"I Want Your Love" and "Everybody Dance." I got to speak with Luci Matin, with whom I recently did a Q&A along with Alfa Anderson & Norma Jean Wright.

Next Step: the ladies of Chic

 http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2015/08/exclusive-q-with-luci-martin-of-chic.html

As For Nona, she praised her singing partner of many years but, unfortunately, had nothing prepared for singing.  Understandable as she flew in from the West Coast at the last minute to be a part of this affair. Nona had some pretty funny things to say, like how she loved but hated Sarah for bringing her into the world of entertainment when she wanted to be a teacher.

Nona, Sarah and Melba. Photo by April Sette

Nona said, with a straight face, that Patti Labelle wanted to be at 54 Below but couldn't because she was in Maine, catching crabs. "No, really," Nona assured us, "That girl loves her crabs!"

When Sarah Dash took to the stage at the end of the show, she sang her ballad "Im Still Here" (not the song from Sondheim's Follies), "Sinner Man" with Ari Gold and a few other guests, and, finally -- of course -- "Lady Marmalade" with a host of friends. Sarah played her birthday wishes from Patti via cell phone, with Patti saying she was unable to come because she was catching crabs. Poor dear.

Sarah said she was proud to be a groundbreaker in her support for transgendered people and the LGBT community. We love her right back.

Ms Dash said she had a cold but was in fine voice as far as her sold-out crowd was concerned. We spoke briefly after the show. Sarah Dash is a great performer but, more importantly, a survivor, an inspiration, and a kind, sweet individual it is a privilege to know. Expect a Q&A shortly.

By the way, when I mentioned Piatinis, Sarah asked if it was good. I told her it was more potent than a Sinner Man and that one doesn't fall out of a golf cart and get a concussion without a few Piatinis under her belt. I love making a diva laugh out loud.

Happy belated birthday, Sarah Dash!

Patti Labelle's Birthday Snags the Academy Award

Happy Birthday to diva Patti Labelle, 69, who has had a long and distinguished solo career. But that was after fronting the girl group Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles, who later morphed to greater success as, simply, Labelle.


Dj Buddy B's tribute is to post my fave Bluebelles song: "Academy Award."