This week our Icon is Sylvester.
The Queen of Disco, Sylvester James, started out as a gospel child star in Los Angeles, but really started cultivating his identity after moving to San Francisco in the late 60′s. Soon after he joined the psychedelic drag group, The Cockettes (another notable member was Divine, of John Waters fame). Without a doubt the best singer of the group, Sylvester stood out with his powerful voice and fervent personality and soon became a luminary of the Disco scene.
He also helped spur the careers of other black artists of the time, including The Pointer Sisters and The Weather Girls, both of which were his back up singers at different times.
We encourage you to listen to the music (although his record covers are almost as cool) of the gender-bending provocateur, which forced San Francisco and the world to “dance in the disco heat.”
