Newspaper Page Text
Enjoy railroad equipment not
normally open for inspection,
operating model railroads,
■^^entertainment? livemusic,
|moon walkTcoloring pages,
play tablesTmini golf, petting
|fzoo7 pony”rides, 1 blacksmith
P^demonstrationsfand more.
L Festival food vendors will be
Bppresent to make sure you
ydon't go hungryI Trains will
HK?jf be everywhere-bothfat
(ftTVRM and orTthe adjacent
IMpT Norfolk Southern line?
eSTCome Ride with^Us!
toattannoga SimcB ?rcc ffrcBBl
Min|Xin( [ online l in ^ourcanmunityH
September 10 & ll, 2016
ROAD I
WWW.TVRAIL.COM 423-894-8028
featured listing from
your neighborhood expert with global reach
1590 W. Sussex Road // FMLS 5731940 // $1,100,000
This home is your own personal private and serene oasis with a meditation
labryinth in the heart of Morningside, overlooking Sunken Garden Park in a
coveted location. This urbane retreat has been updated with a sophisticated
open floor plan that embraces a panoramic view of the yard and pool. The
home includes a master retreat on the main floor, along with a flexible floor
plan providing both formal and casual living spaces and dining areas.
Peggy Hibbert
Founding Partner
#1 Agent, DeKalb Board of REALTORS*
404.444.0192 // o. 404.874.0300
peggy@atlantafinehomes.com
atlantafinehomes.com // sir.com
Atlanta Fine I Sotheby's
Homes INTERNATIONAL REALTY
© MMXVI Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is
Independently Owned And Operated.
Shine bright
like a Diamond
I first met iconic Atlanta drag performer Diamond Lil
sometime in the early 90s at some bar. I have no recollection of
the time or place, but Diamond Lil — or Lil, as I always called
her — was unforgettable. Lil was decidedly not your usual drag
queen. She had a big voice and she knew how to belt a tune. She
oozed Southern charm mixed with biting, sometimes self-effacing,
humor.
Born Phillip Forrester in 1935 in Savannah, Lil became a
regular performer on the Atlanta drag scene in the 1960s. Unlike
other female impersonators, Diamond Lil didn’t just lip-synch to
songs, but sang and wrote her own music. Nicknamed the “Queen
of the Jukeboxes,” her humorous songs were heard around the
southeast and she was an influence on fellow drag performers
RuPaul and Lady Bunny. She released a number of albums,
including “Silver Grill Blues” (named after the now defunct diner).
Not only did Lil perform at most of Atlanta’s gay bars
and cabarets over the last 40-plus years, but she often popped up to perform at Manuel’s
Tavern -i— usually to a full house. She was also a noted activist for LGBT rights, once
famously singing Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your
Man” on the campus of the University of Georgia
during a 1972 rally.
The first time I met Lil without her wig, was at
the old INtown office on West Peachtree Street. A
man in a dapper suit appeared at my office door and
said, “Why, hello, Collin.” The mellifluous voice
sounded familiar, but I must have had the most
quizzical look on my face, because Lil sauntered over
to my desk, and said, “Don’t you recognize me? It’s
Lil.” Then he winked. Of course it was Lil.
INtown published some of Lil’s funny
little essays about life in the Virginia-Highland
neighborhood where she made her home and funny
anecdotes from her days in drag. Be sure to check . .
, . , , r . Diamond Lil
out atfantamtownpaper.com to read a coupfe ot them
during the month of September.
The last time I saw Lil was during lunch at the
Radial Cafe earlier this year. I’d heard she’d been ill, but she was as charming and quick
witted as ever. She died on Aug. 9 at age 80 after a bout with cancer.
A lady always knows when to leave, Ed
EDITOR’S
LETTER
Collin Kelley
collin @atlantaintownpaper. com
REFRESH YOUR
FALL WARDR05E
1% OfT 25% Off
All Scarves & Bags Candle Holders, fnames & Boxes
Offer valid at participating stores during promotion dates. Not valid with other
offers or discounts or on the purchase of gift cards.
www.tenthousandvillages.com
A fresh, feminine scarf from Asha Handicrafts,
whose name is Sanskrit means "hope." Asha
empowers individual and family-based artisans
throughout India with opportunities to
export crafts, earn income and achieve better
standards of living.
TEN THOUSAND
M VILLAGES
4 September 2016 | ITT1
AtlantalNtownPaper.com