November 2001 Queer Music Heritage

November 2001

In June of 2011 a "new" CD was released by Steven Grossman
See my special three-hour salute to that CD and his music

"Caravan Tonight"

Steven Grossman was the first openly gay artist signed to a major label, Mercury, which released his LP "Caravan Tonight" in 1974. He died of AIDS in 1991

Steven Grossman

First gay artist signed
to a major label

Playlist: (airdate: Nov 26, 2001)
Steven Grossman - out (1974)
Special Feature Interview: Blackberri
Blackberri - i miss you (1981)
Buena Vista - he's okay (1978)
Blackberri -when will the ignorance end (1979)
Blackberri - it's okay (1981)
Blackberri - please help me to forget (1981)
Blackberri - beautiful black man
(1989, from "Looking for Langston")
Mark Weigle & Blackberri - no more nights alone (1998)
Interview with Sonia, of Disappear Fear
Mark Weigle & Sonia - other houses (2000)
Sonia - fallin' (2001)
Sonia - me, too (2001)

Steven Grossman

Above, ad from After Dark Magazine from 1974 for Steven's album and, left, rare photo from The Advocate, April 1974

Blackberri's LP: "Blackberri & Friends; Finally"

Above, two of Blackberri's songs were included on the "Walls To Roses" album (1979), a landmark various artists release, in that the artists consisted of a mix of gay and straight men supporting the struggle against sexism

Right, Blackberri's music was used in the 1989 movie "Looking For Langston," about the Harlem Renaissance poet, Langston Hughes. He was also featured in the movie "Tongues Untied," in 1991. Below, Langston Hughes.

Langston Hughes

Blackberri, circa 1979

Click for Large Scans
of Blackberri LP

"Looking for Langston," from 1989 and "Tongues Untied," 1990

Blackberri

Buena Vista's 45 "He's Okay" and "Hot Magazine," from 1978

Buena Vista was a popular San Francisco group, that sung Blackberri's song in the 1978 movie "Word Is Out" and released the song as a 45rpm. Below is a publicity photo or them, in the round. You can read an article about them on this month's script page.

Artist Links:
Mark Weigle
Sonia
Blackberri

Click Here to read a
historic article on
Blackberri, from
The Advocate

Mark Weigle "The Truth Is" "All That Matters"

Late Addition (added March 2004):

In 1974 a short-lived magazine called "Dilettante" published a short photo essay
by John Cox. I'm delighted that it included a rare photo of Steven Grossman.

Steven Grossman

Read more about the magazine at http://models.badpuppy.com/archive/manage/studios/

and visit my Steven Grossman Tribute Section

Blackberri Obituary
12/13/21

Link to this article, for as long as it lasts

Blackberri, JD Doyle, Jon Ginoli, Jack Dubowsky, and Larry-Bob Roberts,
outside one of the Frameline Film Festival theatres. It was taken in June 2012.
During that visit I also got to have a 3-hour lunch with
Blackberri...just wonderful.

Below, Blackberri had promised to get me the track shown below, "Safeway," but did not get to that request.