Dallas Voice

Today's Best Bet

Posted on 11 Jan 2012 at 3:20pm

2011 Pride Houston Logo "Live, Love, Be"2010 Pride Houston Logo "Pride Not Prejudice"2009 Pride Houston Logo "Out 4 Justice"

It’s the start of a new year, that special season when Houstonians break out their winter T-shirts, when the grass changes colors from brown to green and when Pride Houston unveils the new theme and logo for the June pride parade and festival. The grand unveiling ceremony is at F Bar (202 Tuam) on January 17 and 7:30 pm. The Grand Marshal Nominees for 2012 will also be revealed. Finalist from the 2011 Pride Star singing competition will provide entertainment throughout the evening.

— admin

Mi Diva Loca tonight at Sue Ellen’s

Posted on 01 Jan 2012 at 12:28am

Livin’ la Diva Loca

Get your New Year on with Mel Arizpe and Laura Carrizales as Mi Diva Loca tonight. The partners in life and song turn top hits into their own with subtle rearrangements and way fab voices. Besides, live music should be your resolution for 2012.

DEETS: Sue Ellen’s, 3014 Throckmorton St. 7 p.m. SueEllensDallas.com.

— Rich Lopez

Gary Floyd, then and now

Posted on 07 Nov 2011 at 3:48pm

Gary Lynn Floyd killed a few birds with one stone last night. First, he helped celebrate the Interfaith Peace Chapel’s one-year anniversary. Second, he shot footage for his upcoming reality series slot on Troubadour, TX. Most importantly, though, he reminded us all why we love listening to him sing.

His concert Sunday night, which also served as a release party for his new CD Then+Now, featured Gary on piano, voice miked, singing solo: Songs from his long career, some from his days in Christian music (including his only No. 1 hit as a songwriter), moving up to his current output. He joked that people may still detect a bit of the church in his voice; ain’t that the truth. Listening to Gary is sort of like your own private sermon — he seemed to be connecting directly with me as he sang. (Of course, I was sitting behind his mother, so maybe he was just singing to her.) But I bet all of the 80 or so attendees felt that same connection. That’s what good singing is all about.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

Auditions for Resounding Harmony & The Women’s Chorus

Posted on 22 Aug 2011 at 9:27am

Sing it like ya mean it

For those with major vocal talents, tonight could be your night. Think of it. Packed venues, a plethora of like-minded individuals all singing in unison. And those snazzy outfits. The philanthropic-based group Resounding Harmony holds auditions tonight for its fourth season as does The Women’s Chorus of Dallas, as it prepares for its upcoming season. Although each have criteria for auditioning, you shouldn’t have too much problem getting on the process. Unless you’re auditioning for both, then more power to ya.

DEETS: Resounding Harmony auditions at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, 3014 Oak Lawn Ave. 7 p.m. Visit website for more information. To register for TWCD auditions, visit here.

— Rich Lopez

‘Hairspray’ at Casa Manana tonight

Posted on 17 Aug 2011 at 9:33am

What ozone layer?

Whether you’ve seen it onstage or at the movies (or both!), Hairspray is whole lot of delightful fun. Mixing social messages with drag characters is one thing, but to brighten it up with fun-loving tunes that feel like they popped right out of old-time radio is what makes the story work so well. Come on. How many times have we wished we could wake up singing “Good Morning, Baltimore” and feel that good about the day? Anybody? Just us?

Check out our piece on actor David Coffee who plays Edna Turnblad.

— Rich Lopez

Voice of Pride elimination round at Barbara’s Pavilion tonight

Posted on 11 Jul 2011 at 12:24am

Start the eliminations

Voice of Pride is is now in elimination mode across clubland. Tonight, singer hopefuls head to Oak Cliff to test their vocal mettle at Barbara’s Pavilion and move on to the final. Good luck to the contestants.

DEETS: Barbara’s Pavilion, 325 Centre St. 8 p.m. DallasTavernGuild.org/VoiceOfPride

— Rich Lopez

Death: Burleigh John ‘B.J.’ Smith

Posted on 14 Apr 2011 at 4:59pm

Burleigh John “B.J.” Smith, 62, of Dallas died March 29 from complications due to liver cancer.

Born in Shreveport to the late Bernard Cyril and Gwendolyn Smith, B.J.Smith worked 20 years for Cinemark Theaters as a film buyer before retiring in early 2010. He had a very outgoing and uplifting personality and he never met a stranger. His hobbies and interests included singing with the Turtle Creek Chorale for 11 years, movies, traveling, cooking and enjoying food and wine with friends.

He is survived by his partner of 31 years, Dennis Bellotto,; his sister Lynn Norton and family of Flower Mound; his brother Barney Smith and family of San Antonio; and his cherished cat Lance.

In lieu of flowers, Smith requested that memorial donations be made to AMFAR www.amfar.org or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society www.lls.org. No formal memorial service is planned at this time.

— John Wright

Which Married Male Singer Is Going To Divorce And Go Public With His Already-Out Singing Boyfriend?

Posted on 30 Nov 2010 at 2:44pm

BLIND ITEMS — "I have written about this couple before, but apparently it is getting to the point where some kind of public announcement is coming. I don't remember how I described them in the past, but one is an openly gay male singer and the other is also male and a singer and is in a heterosexual marriage. Apparently, now that our married singer has ended his most recent tour, he is going to file divorce proceedings soon. He and the other singer are tired of living in the shadows and want to bring their relationship out in the open." [CDAN] (Note: Accompanying photos do not indicate any relationship to the report.)

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Tagged: Blind Items, Celebs, Coming Out, Gossip

Queerty

— admin

News: Obama On Democratic ‘Apathy,’ Singing Gwyneth and NOM’s Lonely Party

Posted on 28 Sep 2010 at 2:44pm

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter rushed to hospital after "getting air sick."

A Baltimore county judge sentenced 24-year old member of the Blood gang, Timothy Rawlings, to life in prison for ordering the murder of a fellow Blood, Steven Parrish, for being gay. "As far as the court is concerned, he should never breathe a breath of free air again," said the judge.

Japanese tots cry at sight of Tom Cruise. Think he gets that a lot?

Like Joe "Buck Up" Biden, President Obama has taken aim at Democratic voters' "apathy," which the Commander-in-Chief calls "irresponsible:" "The idea that we've got a lack of enthusiasm in the Democratic base, that people are sitting on their hands complaining, is just irresponsible."

Happy 25th birthday, LGBT paper Windy City Times!

The GOP has finally decided to address its gay "dilemma."

New York fashion scene's most eligible bachelors — gay and straight!

Will Amy Weston be the first trans woman in space?

New York Times columnist David Brooks uses lamentable language to express his lament over California's state of political affairs: "The political set is an embarrassment. As jobs disappear, legislators are fixated on transgender rights and deals for lobbyists. Legislators are polarized and gridlocked. The pension system is 0 billion in the red, and the state hops from one fiscal crisis to the next."

Police at the University of Texas-Austin are looking for a second suspect after a gun man opened fire and killed himself today at the school's campus.

Poor National Organization for Marriage: no one wants to come to their hateful party in California.

The investigation into homophobia among Palm Spring's police department has now extended to Police Chief David Dominguez, who allegedly used a gay epithet during a 2009 Warm Sands sex sting.

Gwyneth Paltrow will have "three or four" solos when she guest stars on Glee, says creator Ryan Murphy. Yes, but can she sing?

Mexican officials estimate that as many as 1,000 people could be missing after a devastating mudslide that destroyed at least 300 homes.

A federal appeals panel in Atlanta wants to review Serbian national Mladen Zeljko Todorovic's asylum case because he's not a "credible witness." Todorovic claims he was harassed and raped for being gay while in the Serbian army.

An Iowa teen has won the right to wear her equality-minded "I Heart Lady Gay Gay" shirt to school. Hoorah for self-expression, and inclusion!

Lucinda Naylor, the artist in residence at Basilica of St. Mary’s in Iowa, has been suspended for an art project involving making a sculpture out the Catholic Church's anti-gay marriage DVDs. The project, which Naylor plans on sending out ahead of November's election, will send a message of "creativity and hope," she said.

Lost's Maggie Grace has joined the cast of Twilight. From one hit franchise to another. Lucky girl.