TransVocalizers — David de Alba, Part 1

David de Alba is a name that has long been associated with the art of female impersonation, during an era noted for its glamor, when entertainers sang in their own voice. Known as “The Cuban Legend,” David de Alba’s family left Cuba shortly after Fidel Castro took power. After living in Florida and West Virginia, David went to Chicago to finish high school and two years of college. There he studied drama, make-up, public speaking, dancing, and singing. He was able to win a scholarship to beauty college, which allowed him to move to San Francisco. There, he eventually became a well known cosmetologist, “Heri The Hairstylist,” and had his own salon.

It was back during the time that David lived in Chicago that he was introduced to theatrical performing arts. A well known local stylist and make-up artist mentored David when he first started performing. It was a casual remark about David’s resemblance to Judy Garland that ended up being a sort of launching pad for the remarkable impersonation of Garland that David is best known for. He has also impersonated Liza Minnelli, Garland’s famous daughter.

David has also developed another character creation known as Boy Chic, in which he sings in English, French, and Spanish. This allows him to do material from other artists and genres, without having to impersonate any particular singer.

It was David’s work at San Francisco’s legendary club, Finocchio’s, that gave him the ability to hone his skill as a singer and female impersonator.

While other entertainers from his era have mostly retired, David is still in demand and working steadily. He has recently presented a number of performances in Las Vegas, called David de Alba’s Finocchio Backstage Memoirs. With such a long, extensive career, which also includes TV appearances, recording and numerous other projects, an entire article could be written concerning just his biography. However, David has been gracious enough to give TG Forum an exclusive interview, which will be presented in two installments. We are truly honored to have a real living legend as our feature for these installments of Transvocalizers.

TGForum: You left Cuba with your family in 1962, correct?

David de Alba: I think it was around 1960. I made it to this country at that time.

TGF: You were a teenager when you left. Did you only speak Spanish at that time?

DdA: Yes, I only spoke Spanish. When I cam to this country, I had a dictionary with me, and a teacher speaking phonetically to me. I learned English the first year here. Also, prior while in Cuba, my mother paid for a tutor, and American gentleman. An African-American named Mr. White, of all things. He used to come twice a week to the house to teach me English. This was way before my parents saw Castro was going to take over the country. So I had a little knowledge of English, but not as much as when I came to this country and sent to school.

TGF: You also speak and sing in French and Italian. How did you learn those languages?

At Finnichio

DdA:Well, basically — I just learned a few words. I don’t speak French or Italian. At Finocchio’s, I was hired to be a bi-lingual singer. Mrs. Finocchio wanted me to sing in Spanish and English. In Spanish, because there were a lot of Latin American people locally, plus those that came on the tour buses. I fit the bill and I had some beautiful arrangements. That’s how that all came about.

TGF: I know that Judy Garland is your biggest influence, but I’d also like to ask what were your musical influences growing up, and what do you listen to now?

DdA: I always tell everybody that asks me, the two influences in my life as far as singers . . . when I was in Cuba, a famous husband and wife by the name of Olga (Chorens) and Tony Alvarez; they are the ones who I got to meet later on in this country when they left Cuba. Most of my Latin American songs are patterned after . . . and of course Judy Garland. She is my greatest influence as far as American singers. I also enjoy listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee and so on, but Judy, Olga and Tony, are my greatest influences.

I’m not crazy about the music nowadays. I like to play the old songs from people like Eydie Gorme and Robert Goulet, Perry Como . . . all the old tunes. I’m not a fan of nowadays music. The old songs had beautiful lyrics. The songs nowadays don’t seem to hit my heart the way like people like Judy and Ella and Olga hit my heart.

I was telling a friend the other day that if I was born now and had to be an impersonator, I don’t think I could do it. I’m not interested in impersonating new stars. This is why I remanded all these years doing Judy on stage, and of course Liza, too. I can fill a theater with fans who love this kind of music. I was raised in the ’50s and ’60s with that kind of music.

TGF: Your singing voice is amazingly feminine. How much work did it take to get it that way, and do you still do vocal exercises and/or training of any kind?

DdA: Consider that I’m not in my twenties any more and I used to sing in higher keys. I’m singing now about one and a half keys lower than I used to sing. I’ve taken some coaching when I was in San Francisco. But I’ve never had to put much thought into it. My voice has always been in the high range . . . so when I sang in drag, I didn’t sound like a guy in drag, singing with a male voice. I sounded feminine. People would think I was pantomiming to a recording. I never had to put on a high pitch.

I never vocalized too much. I would do some warm ups, but not too much. I didn’t want to tire my voice. I might do a few songs in the afternoon before a show.

TGF: I’m curious about how you were treated as a gay youth, especially being part of a culture that is very macho, even misogynistic at times. How old were you when you started dealing with your sexuality?

DdA: I knew I was a gay since I was very young. But I didn’t explore things like that until I got to this country. My mother knew that when Castro took over, it would be very dangerous. Castro put many gay men in jail, even if they were macho looking.

It wasn’t that hard for me in school. But when I wanted to become an American citizen, and this was in San Francisco, I came with a regular visa, not a student visa. (We had a visa given to us by the American embassy in Cuba.) When I went to take my test, a very closeted male recognized me and said, ‘You work at Finocchio’s? Are you gay?’ I said, ‘What does that have to do with American citizenship?’ He said, ‘We don’t want any gays to come into this country.’

We had to hire a lawyer in San Francisco to stop it. I was able to become a citizen, but at one time they could deny citizenship. This was in the mid-1970s. It’s not like it is now, where people can get married.

I was very lucky to have wonderful parents who were not homophobic, like some parents who throw their kids out of the house. My parents were very kind to me about that matter, especially my mom.

TGF: Your mom was obviously your biggest fan and supporter.

DdA: She was my biggest fan, but she was also very critical of me. If I didn’t do something correct, like a music note, she had six degrees, one of them was music teaching.

David with his mom Tila

She was a very shy person, and would be afraid that I wouldn’t do well, or that people wouldn’t clap or whatever. But she got accustomed to it. We were very much alike. She was my secretary when I had the hair salon. I wasn’t ready for it when she died. She did get to see me perform in Las Vegas, but since she passed away, I’ve performed even more. I know she would have enjoyed some of those concerts.

TGF: How political are you? By that, I mean regarding national politics and GLBT politics.

DdA: I’m not a militant person. I’ve never been crazy for Republican or Democrat. My mother and I , we would support the president, whoever that was. I’m not into politics.

As far as militant for the gay people, I’ve never been that militant. The militant gays tend to be very masculine. If an impersonator tries to do something, they say that people are going to think that all gay men are feminine, and work in drag.

In Las Vegas, it’s completely different. Most of the people who come to see me are straight, older women, maybe with their husband. A few members of the transgender community, some in full drag because they’re out, and some dressed as men because they’re in the closet. I wouldn’t say my following is a gay following at all, not here in Las Vegas.

Part 2 of the de Alba interview is here.

For more information on David de Alba, please check out his website. It’s extensive and contains a lot of information. David is also on Facebook. He will be on stage at The Oynx Theater in Las Vegas this June. Call the theater box office for tickets: 702-732-7225.

ALSO THIS MONTH

Rev. Roger Anthony Yolanda Mapes previewed his new show, The Gospel Hour, on March 15th at the Unity Center for Spirituality in Norwalk, CT. The show opens officially on May 13th in NYC at The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street. A benefit for a fried of Rev. Yolanda’s is planned for May 20th, and on June 3rd, a benefit for Sanctuary NYC and the New Spiritual Adventure is also in the works. Please check out Rev. Yolanda’s website for more information and details , at
(Note: All shows feature Rev. Yolanda and “The Yolandaleers”, featuring Kenneth Gartman-musical director, vocals, piano; Pamela Hamilton-vocals, fiddle; Calvin Thompson-vocals; Dennis Michael Keefe-stand up bass; Luke Richardson-banjo, harmonica. Rev. Yolanda can be contacted at [email protected])

Coco Peru

Miss Coco Peruwill be performing her new show, There Comes A Time, in San Francisco on April 1st. Two performances are booked for the Victoria Theatre, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Call 415-863-0611 for details or check out www.ticketfly.com/event97143 (for 7 p.m.), and www.ticketfly.com/event97117 (for 9:30 p.m.) Coco also stated: “I rarely perform in San Francisco, so I’m hoping my friends will come out to support me and PLEASE help me get the word out…(and) if you want to make a whole day of Coco, there is a benefit screen of Girls Will Be Girls that afternoon that I will be attending” (For screening tickets, www.ticketfly.com/event 97129) Check out Coco’s website.

Calpernia Addams has posted several new YouTube videos. One very interesting one is Cal’s reworking of the old Marlene Dietrick song Falling In Love Again done as blues. Very creative stuff.

NEW MUSIC

Wind Me Up by Liz Primo. This 5 song remix disc has just released, and features mixes by DJ Dark Intensity, Haydn Hoffman, Michael Bradford, and Justin Trugman of the follow-up single from her debut EP Exposed.

Rapper Rye Rye has released a new single entitled Boom Boom, a 10 tune remix disc also includes the album version of the song which is featured on her up-coming May 15th album release entitled GO! POP! BANG! This material has already been described as “. . . eminently danceable, with up-tempo break beats, electronic flourishes, and double-Dutch-like rhymes . . .” by The New York Times. Expect to hear this in clubs all over the place.

Tags: featured, History, impersonation

Category: Music