Mitzi Gaynor: A Dougsploitation Diva

Just came back from seeing (and meeting) the legendary Mitzi Gaynor!

Born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber, Mitzi began dancing as a child and hasn't stopped yet.

This shapely, shimmering superstar has had a career that spans film, stage and television.

She appeared in many films, including THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS (1954) alongside Ethel Merman (her showbiz "mom") and Marilyn Monroe,

LES GIRLS (1957) with Gene Kelly and in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC (1958).

On February 16, 1964, Gaynor performed in between two sets by The Beatles when they made their second appearance on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. On the show, Mitzi performed a nine-minute medley including Cole Porter's "Too Darn Hot".

Throughout the 1960s and '70s Gaynor starred in a string of popular TV specials.

Each broadcast was an energetic was a mix of song, dance and comedy with guest stars galore–not to mention a fabulous array of Bob Mackie gowns!

The specials, originally broadcast on NBC and CBS were...

* The Kraft Music Hall:The Mitzi Gaynor Christmas Show (1967)

* Mitzi (1968)

* Mitzi's 2nd Special (1969)

* Mitzi: The First Time (1973)

* Mitzi: A Tribute to the American Housewife (1974)

* Mitzi...and a Hundred Guys (1975)

* Mitzi...Roarin' In the 20's (1976)

* Mitzi...Zings Into Spring (1977)

▪ Mitzi...What's Hot, What's Not (1978)

Mitzi also recorded two albums for the Verve label and soon became a top attraction in Las Vegas showrooms and Vancouver nightclubs.

Last November MITZI GAYOR: RAZZLE DAZZLE a new documentary celebrating Miss Gaynor's TV specials was broadcast on PBS and released on DVD, including some of the best showstopping moments from the rarely seen shows.

Gaynor is currently touring with her one-woman show, Razzle Dazzle: My Life Behind the Sequins. You can visit Mitzi here.

Mari Wilson: A Dougsploitation Diva

It's taken me almost 30 years, but this Sunday night I get to see the great Mari Wilson perform LIVE and IN PERSON at the Magic Castle in Hollywood! In honor of this momentous occasion, I proudly re-present a blog post from last September all about the talented Ms. Wilson. Enjoy!

Having already taken an extensive look at my favorite "divas of color" for Black History Month in February, I've decided to blog about some of my other favorite women singers. Some of them you may have heard of, but some of them may be new to you. I can guarantee there won't be any of the expected choices, because I prefer gals who are a bit off the beaten track. Let's start with the great Mari Wilson!

One of my all-time favorite singers, Mari (born Mari MacMillan Ramsey Wilson), is a stylish English singer who's initial sound and appearance were heavily influenced by early 1960s pop music.

Her back-up band was called the Wilsations and included future pop star Julia Fordham. Her clean, precise and soulful delivery of lyrics and her eloquent phrasing makes Ms. Wilson stand out far from the pack, with or without her signature beehive.

Mari scored six UK hit retro-pop singles in the early 1980s, including her biggest hit, "Just What I Always Wanted" in 1982. In 1983 she scored a top 30 hit with a gorgeous cover of the Julie London classic "Cry Me a River".

Both tracks were included on the essential Showpeople album, which also became a top 30 hit in the UK. Standout tracks include "Ecstacy" and an amazing cover of "Are You There (With Another Girl)?" I swear, it will make you ask, "Dionne who?"An EP featuring a kick-ass version of the Motown hit "Ain't That Peculiar" followed in 1984.

In 1985 Mari performed the beautiful title song "Would You Dance with a Stranger?" for the acclaimed film DANCE WITH A STRANGER, starring Miranda Richardson and Rupert Everett.

Miranda's version of the song appears alongside Mari's on the soundtrack album.

In 1991, Mari released The Rhythm Romance, a wonderfully arranged mix of new, contemporary songs and lush Jazz standards.

Tracks included "No Moon at All," Lee Hazelwood's "This Town," the Gershwin classic "Someone to Watch Over Me," Rogers & Hart's "My Funny Valentine" and the Lennon/McCartney ballad "And I Love Him".The following year, two compilation discs appeared titled Beat the Beat and Just What I've Always Wanted.

In 2000, Mari returned and sang the theme song to the hit British TV sitcom COUPLING.

"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" had been recorded in the 1960s by Doris Day and became popular again due to its use in the Baz Luhrman film STRICTLY BALLROOM and a rockin' remake by the band Cake. Mari's flawless version is right up their with Doris' in my opinion.

In 2005 a new album entitled Dolled Up was released with disco-tinged "The Love Thing" being the outstanding track along with the cover of Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light". Another new album, Emotional Glamour was released in October 2008, and featured "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" and 10 great original tunes including "Hits and Misses" and the hysterical and sassy "Forever Young."So, if you are a fan of great female singers from Doris to Julie to Dusty Springfield to Karen Carpenter to Annie Lennox, give Mari a spin - you will not be disappointed. Visit Mari online.

Abbey Lincoln 1930-2010

Lena Horne 1917-2010

The Return of...Black Diva History Month, Part 3 (1942-present)

The final entry in my three-part series from last year. You may notice some obvious omissions - especially when it comes to the disco era and the current wave of so-called divas. I may do an update later in the month, but there's always next February.
Marlena Shaw (Marlina Burgess, born 1942) an outrageous jazz and cabaret singer who started performing in the 1960s. Sandra Bernhard's take on Me & Mrs. Jones is a direct homage to Marlena's performance style.
Aretha Louise Franklin (born 1942) is "The Queen of Soul”. In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked Franklin #1 on its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time. Franklin has won 20 Grammys to date, which include the Living Legend Grammy and the Lifetime Achievement Grammy. In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She recently sang in a ridiculous hat at the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.
Marilyn McCoo (born 1943) is singer, well known for being the lead female vocalist in the group The Fifth Dimension, as well as hosting the popular 1980s music countdown series SOLID GOLD. The Fifth Dimension is a multiple Grammy-winning popular music vocal group, known for the hits Up, Up and Away, Wedding Bell Blues, Stoned Soul Picnic and Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.

Leslie Uggams (Born 1943) is an actress and singer, perhaps best known for her role in ROOTS, as Kizzy. Uggams also starred in the 1975 cult film POOR PRETTY EDDIE in which she played a singer who is abused and humiliated by the sick & twisted denizens of a backwoods Southern town. Read my review here. Early in 2009, Uggams will appearas the legendary jazz singer Lena Horne in the stage musical Stormy Weather at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.
Gladys Maria Knight (Born 1944), "The Empress of Soul," is an R&B/soul singer-songwriter. With her group, The Pips she scored many hits including The Midnight Train to Georgia. In 1986, Knight joined with Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John on the AIDS benefit single, That's What Friends Are For which won a Grammy. In the spring of 2008, Gladys appeared alongside Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle and Diana Ross at the Divas with Heart concert.Patti LaBelle (Patricia Louise Holte, born 1944) is a R&B and soul singer-songwriter and cookbook author. She fronted two groups, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, and Labelle, which had a breakthrough hit in 1974 with their song Lady Marmalade. She went on to have a solo recording career well into the 1990s.
Diana Ross (Diane Ernestine Ross, born 1944) is a recording artist, actress, and entertainer. During the 1960s, she was the lead singer of The Supremes before leaving for a solo career in the beginning of 1970. In 1972, LADY SINGS THE BLUES featured Ross giving a bravura performance as Billie Holiday, earning her an Oscar nomination. In 1975, Ross starred in the camp classic MAHOGANY and in 1978 she was featured in the commercial and critical failure THE WIZ .
Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, (Born 1950) is a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Armatrading had a string of critically acclaimed albums through the 1970s and 80s, and she is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee.Natalie Maria Cole (Born 1950), the daughter of legendary crooner Nat King Cole is a pop music performer who has won ten Grammy Awards. She achieved success in her early career as an R&B star, but smoothly changed her repertoire toward a more jazz orientated musical style in the early 1990s, including a posthumous duet with her father.
Chaka Khan (Born 1953) is an singer known for hit songs such as I'm Every Woman and I Feel for You. Khan was first featured as a member of the funk band Rufus before beginning her solo career, earning her the title of the "Queen of Funk Soul"Dianne Reeves (Born 1956) is a jazz singer, known for her outstanding live performances as much as her albums. I’ve seen her perform a few times and is quite memorable. She has to date won four Grammy Awards.Cassandra Wilson (Born 1955) is an jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer. Her cover versions of pop standards and rock songs are modern classics. She has won two Grammy Awards.Mary Edwards (Born 1960-something) is an up and coming composer and performer whose 1960s and 1970s influences are evident in her cinematically-inspired recordings.Dana Elaine Owens (born 1970), better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is a former rapper who has found much acclaim as smooth-voiced pop singer and actress. Latifah's work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, and a Grammy Award.

The Return of...Black Diva History Month, Part 2 (1930-1940)

Continuing my "rebroadcast" from last year. Please note that the divas are listed in chronological birth order, not in order of their career starts.Here's a dozen more great ladies of song and screen.Dakota Staton (Aliyah Rabia 1930-2007) was an jazz vocalist who found fame and acclaim with the 1957’s gorgeous The Late, Late Show. One of my favorite LPs for all time.Nina Simone (Eunice Kathleen Waymon 1933-2003) was a Grammy Award-nominated jazz singer, folk songwriter, classical pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. Her work covers an eclectic variety of musical styles including soul, R&B, gospel, and pop music. Known as The High Priestess of Soul, she recorded her last album – the amazing A Single Woman in 1993.
Della Reese (Born 1931), is an actress and singer. She started her career in the late 1950s as a pop singer, best known for her 1959 hit single Don't You Know which was adapted from an aria (Muzetta's Waltz) from Puccini's La Boheme. She subsequently became an actress, best known for the long-running CBS hit TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.
Barbara McNair (1934-2007) was an sadly underrated singer and actress. In 1969 alone she hosted her own syndicated variety hour, starred alongside Mary Tyler Moore and Elvis in CHANGE OF HABIT (1969) and had a role in the sexy Italian film VENUS IN FURS, directed by Jesus Franco. The following year she portrayed Sidney Poitier's wife in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970). Ms. McNair continued performing into the 2000s, until her tragic death in 2007.
Ketty Lester (Revoyda Frierson, born 1934) is a singer and television actress, who is best known for her classic 1962 hit single, Love Letters - used effectively in David Lynch's cult classic BLUE VELVET. Lester would later establish herself as a fine actress in the 1970s and 1980s. Appearing on two NBC shows, DAYS OF OUR LIVES from 1975 to 1977, and as Hester-Sue on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE from 1978 to 1983.
Diahann Carroll (Born 1935) is an award-winning actress and songstress. Carroll's first film role was in CARMEN JONES in 1954, followed by the film version of Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS. Carroll is best known for her Emmy-nominated title role in the 1968 show JULIA in 1968. In the 1980s, Carroll joined ABC’s megahit DYNASTY as the jet setter, Dominique Deveraux, half-sister of Blake Carrington. She is still very active in showbiz.
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (born 1937) is a British singer most known for performing three James Bond themes GOLDFINGER (1964), DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971), and MOONRAKER (1979). Ms. Bassey celebrated her 60th birthday by recording the hit History Repeating with The Propellerheads. This led to the 2001 album, The Remix Album: Diamonds Are Forever. In 2008 the song Goldfinger was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Seeing her perform live in San Francisco is one of the most memorable evenings in my life. (Editor's note: Shirley recently appeared on THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW and was as entertaining and lovely as ever).
Roberta Flack (born 1937) is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and musician who is notable in the areas of jazz, soul, R&B and folk. Flack is best known for singles such as Killing Me Softly with His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You (two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway), and Feel Like Makin' Love.
Nancy Wilson (born 1937) is a Grammy-winning song stylist. She is known as both "Fancy Miss Nancy”. Her 1962 album with Cannonball Adderly is a all time classic. She can be heard weekly on the long-running radio show, JAZZ PROFILES, on NPR.
Etta James (Jamesetta Hawkins, born 1938) is an blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, gospel and jazz singer and songwriter. James is the winner of four Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame both in 1999 and 2008. She is best known for the song At Last. I have seen Etta perform at least a half-dozen times and she never ceases to entertain and amaze me.
Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock, born 1939) is an singer and actress whose career has spanned over 40 years and who has won numerous awards. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll". I’ve seen her perform live on several occasions, and am always blown away by her energy. Oddly, I have never seen her big screen bio, WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?Dionne Warwick (Marie Dionne Warrick, born 1940), is singer best known for her partnership with songwriters and producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David. She also teamed with Barry Manilow for some memorable hits. Dionne is second only to Aretha Franklin as the female vocalist with the most Billboard Hot 100 chart hits during the rock era (1955-1999). No need to mention her acting in RENT A COP alongside Burt Reynolds and Liza or the Psychic Friends Network. Oh, I guess I just did.

Look for Part 3 soon.