SINGER

Gladys Bentley

1907 - 1960

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Gladys Alberta Bentley (August 12, 1907 – January 18, 1960) was an American blues singer, pianist, and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. Her career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry's Clam House, a well-known gay speakeasy in New York City in the 1920s, as a black, lesbian, cross-dressing performer. She headlined in the early 1930s at Harlem's Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. She dressed in men's clothes (including a signature tail coat and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting with women in the audience. Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in 17 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 16 in 2024). Gladys Bentley is the 2,686th most popular singer (up from 2,821st in 2024), the 14,314th most popular biography from United States (up from 14,736th in 2019) and the 745th most popular American Singer.

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Among SINGERS

Among singers, Gladys Bentley ranks 2,686 out of 4,381. Before her are Nicky Byrne, Mallikarjun Mansur, Big Daddy Kane, Katrin Siska, Natasja Saad, and Andrea Jürgens. After her are Laura Thorn, Sinitta, Semiha Yankı, Kurt Nilsen, Murat Nasyrov, and Kaija Kärkinen.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1907, Gladys Bentley ranks 400. Before her are Roy Welensky, Paul Douglas, Bob Steele, Arlene Francis, Ernst Loof, and Ruby Myers. After her are Philip Slone, Louis MacNeice, Allan Jones, Pete Desjardins, Mehboob Khan, and Peggy Shannon. Among people deceased in 1960, Gladys Bentley ranks 241. Before her are Hope Emerson, Harry Pollitt, John P. Marquand, Walter Catlett, Kathlyn Williams, and Charles Holden.

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Gladys Bentley ranks 14,318 out of 20,380. Before her are Scottie Thompson (1981), Sam Perkins (1961), Jeff Loomis (1971), Debbie Cameron (1958), Craig Federighi (1969), and Janet Blair (1921). After her are Julia Garner (1994), Travis Pastrana (1983), Victoria Rowell (1959), Sinitta (1968), Terrence McNally (1938), and Helen Wagner (1918).

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Among SINGERS In United States

Among singers born in United States, Gladys Bentley ranks 745. Before her are Mark Tuan (1993), Young Maylay (1979), Jordan Knight (1970), Michelle Williams (1979), Steve Harwell (1967), and Big Daddy Kane (1968). After her are Sinitta (1968), Mina (1997), Jeff Barry (1938), Betty Wright (1953), Mac Davis (1942), and Yoon Mi-rae (1981).

American born Singers

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