I'm not sure for what good reason this image has continued to lay on my desk for the last two years. But I'm quite clear that in my estimation, it rates among one of the most iconic of the last 35 years! Well ... maybe it's the outfit.
I remember very well the first time I saw it in a magazine and I was like WHOA!
From the beginning, she was there with Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx and Cindy Birdsong when they started out together as Patti Labelle & The Bluebelles in the late 50's. I'd heard a few older records from them, but it wasn't until a late-night performance on an old television show called SOUL that Sarah, Patti and Nona totally rocked the world of a little boy with a performance of a song called Can I Speak To You (Before You Go To Hollywood).
I'd never seen anything like it in my life because there had never been anything like it - in my life!
They sang about the revolution not being televised because they were revolutionaries! I didn't know it then but I was looking at the the true MOTHERS OF RE-INVENTION! When I really understood that Labelle was actually a remade, revamped, reborn version of Patti and the Bluebelles, again I was like.....WHOA!
And then came Lady Marmalade! And then came What Can I Do For You! And all the other classic recordings, sounds, costumes, looks, concerts, rumors, and on and on. And then Isn't It A Shame that a love like that had to end?
But in between all that - I waited! Just when it looked like they'd never come to Cincinnati and I'd never get to see them LIVE, they appeared so quick that I didn't even have time to get ready. Time has erased what happened. Maybe I couldn't afford to go? Maybe I was on punishment? It was a most peculiar day because NONE of my friends were going to the concert either. And that was VERY UNUSUAL! But I was undaunted!
I got my shit together i.e. my "look" and my record albums and for some STRANGE reason - a Diana Ross scrapbook! I don't know WHY I had it with me but it would provide a raucous memory that I will treasure forever. I caught the bus from KY across the bridge to the Netherland Hilton in downtown Cincinnati. By this time, I had a trained eye and could tell when somebody was connected to somebody who was scheduled to be performing in town - and who just happened to be milling around a hotel. They told me Labelle would be coming down for a sound check in about 20 minutes.
My heart was racing, but it literally STOPPED when Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx stepped out of the elevator TOGETHER! They saw me with their albums and embraced me in total warmth! It was total appreciation and total LOVE! And they accepted all the love I had to give back to them. They treated me like they knew me forever and asked if I'd walk to the limousine with them. We spoke about why I was NOT coming to the show and whatever I told them they understood.
And then Patti Labelle came out the front entrance of the hotel and walked up and said "What's goin on here?" I didn't know it but it would be the first time of many times that I'd meet Miss Labelle. I laughed and she laughed and they signed my albums and then ....... and then........ she asked "What kind of scrapbook is that?". <Crickets!>
All I know is that we were ALL SCREAMING! And I will keep some things to myself! But the thing is Sarah and Nona eyed me to see how I was taking it. They thought they had to smooth over some of the more .... umm colorful moments in that limo, but I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT - AND THEY KNEW IT! The experience that I had with those three ladies that day in 1976 lasted all of 45 minutes and was more than enough to assuage any disappointments I had about not being able to attend the show.
They signed the albums .... and the scrapbook, too! And I'm so totally cheesin' as I write this remembering that day.
As for the image? All three ladies were ahead of their time, but THIS ONE would go on to inspire generations of female performers who wanted to be incons and considered themselves sexy. From Grace Jones to Madonna, some I've forgotten and even all the way down to Gaga - they have ... we have ... Sarah Dash to thank for being the original bullet-proof diva.
She was and still is one stone cold soul sister, gold sister, bold sister. Go sister!
I love me, live me some Sarah Dash. When we did a Role Reversal show in DC years ago as a fundraiser for our church, me and 2 friends (one fellow Deacon and one Trustee) decided we were going to resurrect Labelle (this was maybe 1999 or Spring 2000).
Everyone JUST knew that I was going to be Patti. They were wrong.
I was going to get my sexy on, with my long fall (clipped on to my corn-rowed natural hair), my silver sandals (4"), my silver mini, with a side train and my feathered bodice bra, constructed out of 2 deconstructed bird masks! I WAS SARAH DASH and I worked that room for all it was worth!
We made $317 DOLLARS in tips for the church!!! The lesbian sisters were trying to book us in THEIR CLUBS!!!!
It was a hoot.
Having had the pleasure to be in the room with the reunited/restored/retouring Labelle in 2008, I cried because it was a moment I believed would never happen! WOW.
WOW.
Posted by: TheRevKev | April 29, 2011 at 05:27 PM
"I WAS SARAH DASH and I worked that room for all it was worth!"
Oh, how I LOVED THAT STORY!
OH! HOW I WANT TO SEE THE PICTURES ! ! !
I KNOW they MUST be out there ! ! !
Laugh...out...LOUD!
Posted by: Corey | April 29, 2011 at 05:45 PM
Haaa! What a great story! A buddy of mine is friends with Sarah and I am going to pass this post along to her! Be well!!!
Posted by: Bukker | April 30, 2011 at 06:20 AM
I know you didn't carry a Diana Ross scrapbook to go see Labelle! LOL BTW..do you have Back to Now?
Posted by: Brandon | April 30, 2011 at 08:50 AM
@Bukker: Thanks! You too!
@Brandon: Don't ask my why I carried that scrapbook with me because I COULD NOT TELL YOU! There MUST have been a reason why I had it.
It's funny that you should mention Back To Now! THIS BLOG was "one of" if not THE FIRST blog to BLAST publicity on that CD. The person they did PR with gave it to me. The other bigger name blogs with the mega comments & followers got the attention with it BUT you can bet I HAD IT FIRST! LOL!
Posted by: Corey | April 30, 2011 at 02:56 PM