An icon and a diva even before such labels were popular, Cyndi Lauper has spent most of the last three decades putting out memorable music while simultaneously fighting for the rights of the LGBT community. The girl that just wanted to have fun, and along the way brought us hits like “Time After Time,” “She Bop” and “I Drove All Night,” has sold more than 30 million albums while striking a chord for equality, uniqueness and the plight of our Queer youth. She has been honored by PFLAG, The Human Rights Campaign and countless other community organizations for her tireless efforts to bring LGBT rights into the spotlight and keep them there.
In June, Lauper once again proved that she still has what it takes to make music that goes above and beyond just everyday pop with the release of her eleventh studio album, Memphis Blues, a collection of blues covers featuring top-notch musicians like BB King, Jonny Lang and Ann Peebles.
Lauper brings her Memphis Blues tour to Orlando’s Hard Rock Live on Sunday, Aug. 1, and to Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 4.
This tour comes after what has been a banner year for Lauper with her appearance on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, the groundbreaking for a LGBT youth residence in New York and even being immortalized by the Mattel Corporation as a Barbie doll in their Ladies of the 80s collection.
Cyndi was happy to share with Watermark her reasons for doing a blues album and why the youth of our community are so important to her.
Why are the blues so important to you and why do this album now?
With Memphis Blues, it is about something old and new at the same time. This is an album that I’ve wanted to do for 8 years, blues is the basis of all forms of popular music—rock, pop, alternative, R&B. I wanted to do this CD when I was still at Sony back in 2004, Jeff Beck and I were going to do together at that time, but it didn’t work out. I have always been a fan of blues. I have been listening to the blues since I was a kid. Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones made it modern 70s, so this project had always been sitting in the back of my mind. I was just waiting for the right time to do it. Eight years later, here it is.
What blues singers and musicians have inspired you?
The women of the blues really are my favorite—and who first got me hooked on the genre—Ma Rainey especially. I wore chains on my CD cover for her—It’s my tribute. She used to wear chains and a grill. She was gangsta before gangsta. My other favorites are Big Maybelle, Memphis Minnie and Lil Green.
With so much to choose from, how did you decide which songs to record?
It was tough for me. All of these beautiful songs on Memphis Blues were carefully chosen because I’ve admired them my entire life. From the moment Alan Toussaint hit the keys in “Shattered Dreams,” I knew right away that we were creating something really special. For me the best part of the blues are the songs that tell stories, that also are uplifting, songs about perseverance and strength, so I was looking for that when I was choosing songs, or songs like “I’m Just Your Fool” that are just fun and great pieces of music.
What do you want to do next?
I don’t like to plan too far ahead when it comes to my “next” CD. I want to enjoy and live this one through. I am having a blast on the road playing this stuff live. The band I have on the road is probably the best band I have ever played with. These guys are some of the best blues players around. Charlie Musselwhite is even on the road with us playing harp. So we do most of the Memphis Blues and then towards the end of the show I do some of the hits because I know fans want to have that too.
What was the most important thing that you learned from being on Apprentice?
I learned a lot about myself. It’s kind of like Celebrity Boot Camp so things come out. It’s a test of your strength too, and I wish I handled myself better here and there. It reminded me of being in high school and being marginalized by the “popular” crowd. But I do feel it gave me a chance to reflect on choices I make. Most importantly, I raised a lot of money for the True Colors Fund and I got the chance to talk about civil rights and the gay community.
The True Colors Foundation broke ground several months ago for a LGBT youth residence in New York City. Why are queer youth so important to you?
LGBT teens are coming out in greater numbers as they see themselves accepted and represented on TV and in movies, but they’re still being kicked out of their homes or running away and living on the streets. We need to make sure we’re taking care of them and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Of course I would love to see them in more cities.
What can you tell us about your new We Give A Damn campaign?
We Give A Damn campaign is to get straight people to stand up for the LGBT community so that all of us have civil rights and America can be the country it’s supposed to be where we are all treated the same.
There have been rumors of you having your own reality show. Is this something that we can look forward to or just wishful thinking?
Yes. I did a deal with Mark Burnett Productions before I signed on to Celebrity Apprentice. Mark Burnett is probably the most successful producer of reality TV, so I am really happy to be in partnership with him. The folks there are smart and creative and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to do. I love the medium so I’m excited. It is going to be mostly about me and my day to day, focused on my career. We start filming in January.
see+hear
Who: Cyndi Lauper
Where: Hard Rock Live, Orlando; Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
When: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1 in Orlando and Wednesday, Aug. 4 in Clearwater
Tickets: HardRockLive.com or RuthEckerdHall.com
