Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton"Suits Me is the biography of a now notorious jazz musician named Billy Tipton, who grew up as Dorothy Tipton in Oklahoma City and Kansas City but lived as a man from the time she was nineteen until she died at age seventy-four. Billy Tipton's death in Spokane, Washington, made news all over the world, not because he was celebrated as a musician but because the scale of his deception - he had been "married" to five women and had reared several adopted children - and the scarcity of ready explanations endowed the skimpy available facts with the aura of myth." "But locked away in Billy's office closet lay files of clippings and photographs documenting the transformation of Billy from she to he, as well as a legacy of annotated comic routines, musical arrangements, and program notes. These revealed to Diane Wood Middlebrook how Billy scattered clues and riddles night after night about the drag she wore. These hints were so bold that they helped conceal Billy's secrets." "With brio and pathos, Suits Me tells the life story of this brilliant deceiver, who lived and loved in two skins, one of each sex."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
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Page 109
... Club , just east of the state line on Route 66 , with a parking lot that covered half a city block . A tall red neon sign flashed OPEN every night , including Sunday . The Cotton Club was strictly a bar and dance hall , with no gambling ...
... Club , just east of the state line on Route 66 , with a parking lot that covered half a city block . A tall red neon sign flashed OPEN every night , including Sunday . The Cotton Club was strictly a bar and dance hall , with no gambling ...
Page 116
... club west of town , nicest club in Joplin . " Cagle wasn't the only person who crossed the state line and bumped into the Tiptons , carrying baggage from Billy's past . Another musician recalls an incident that mystified him at the time ...
... club west of town , nicest club in Joplin . " Cagle wasn't the only person who crossed the state line and bumped into the Tiptons , carrying baggage from Billy's past . Another musician recalls an incident that mystified him at the time ...
Page 182
... Club in Albany , Oregon . A few couples are swaying to the ballad drifting from the subdued piano when a door at the back of the club opens and rainy air freshens the room . Billy feels , before he sees , the surge of curiosity ...
... Club in Albany , Oregon . A few couples are swaying to the ballad drifting from the subdued piano when a door at the back of the club opens and rainy air freshens the room . Billy feels , before he sees , the surge of curiosity ...
Contents
But Who Was She? 18891928 | 13 |
Kansas City 19291932 | 33 |
19331940 | 47 |
Copyright | |
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asked band became began Bess Betty Bill Billy Tipton Billy's body booked boys brother called Carrie claimed clothes Club couple dance Dave death didn't Dorothy Dorothy's dressed Earl father female friends gave George girl hand interview with DM jazz Joplin June Kansas City keep kids kind Kitty knew later letters lived look male married Maryann Mayer mother moved musicians needed never night nightclub Norma Oklahoma City once performed person piano player playing radio recalled records Reggie Reggie's remembered road role seemed sister Sobol social Spokane started stayed story Swing talk tell things thought told took town trio trying turned wanted wearing week wife woman women wrote young