CABARET VILLE MAGAZINE. P345
Interview with a New York Diva: Quinn Lemley By Maximillien de Lafayette
She is stunning with a talent brighter than the lights of Times Square. Classy, innovative, romantic with that mesmerizing femme fatale aura. She echoes the good music of that vanished golden era of Hollywood. In other words, she is world class performer. 5 stars all the way. Don't ever miss her shows.
This woman is a phenomenon. We had a chat with diva Quinn, and here is what she had to say...
Q- Your bio tells us, you evoke the glamour of screen sirens from the Golden Age of Hollywood. How do you do that? Quinn: When I was growing up my Granny Lemley and I would watch all of the great classic movies, read the bios and listen to the "female singers". Each one of them had a distinctive style that was uniquely their own, in personality, costuming, self expression and phrasing. They had an elegance that was highlighted by their style and wit. I choose material that is passionate, romantic and has wit that is reminiscent of that era, but I strive to express myself honestly and from my own perspective. I also work with extraordinary collaborators who help me create this image, from my band, to my arrangers: Tedd Firth, Bob McDowell, Keith Herrman to my costumers Susannah Linday-Norris and Michael Louis, my writer Carter Inskeep and my manager Paul Horton at CAMA. Q: Why are you so fond of Rita Hayworth and Lana Turner? How do you place them in your repertoire? Quinn: Honestly, I didn't know who Rita was until I was just out of NYU. I was doing a show off Broadway called BORN TO RUMBA! about pre-Castro Havana ( I played a showgirl turned nun, with a maribu habit!); and Preston Ridge, friend of a mutual talk show host, Richie Ridge came to the show and said how much I looked like Rita. He introduced me to Carter Inskeep, who just did ALWAYS PATSY CLINE and we started to collaborate on THE HEAT IS ON, studying everything we could find on Rita Hayworth. CONTINUES ON P346