Dana Gillespie: Weren't Born A Man

The memoirs of Dana Gillespie, the award-winning first lady of the Blues.

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Dana Gillespie, the award-winning first lady of the Blues has enjoyed
an incredible life and career. Now, she has chronicled her exploits,
and as anyone who knows Dana would expect, it is intelligent,
insightful, outrageous, and funny.


Detailing high points, low points and everything in-between, the book
covers, amongst many other things, liaisons with David Bowie, Bob
Dylan, Keith Moon, and the cream of 1960’s rock royalty; Recording with
Jimmy Page and Elton John; Performing as Mary Magdalene in the original
London production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and as the Acid Queen in
Tommy; Acting in films directed by Nicholas Roeg, Ken Russell and Mai
Zetterling; Performing Shakespeare with Sir John Gielgud and Arthur
Lowe; Topping the pop charts across Europe; Performing to an audience of
one million people in India; And… oh yes… Being British junior waterski
champion for 4 years!


* * *


Sir Elton John “Spending time with Dana was very
special.  She was magical, and helped me overcome my shyness. She knew
my story before I did! All the memories I have of her are fond ones. So
much laughter and kindness which helped me enormously. Those brilliant
times will never be forgotten.”


Sir Tim Rice “Dana Gillespie is larger and more fun
than life, whether on land or sea, stage or skis. Simultaneously
beautifully earthy and ethereal, and effortlessly able to wring both
sadness and hope out of the blues, often in the same line. She’s got
everything she needs, she’s an artist, she don’t look back. Everything’s
all right, everything’s fine. I can’t wait to read your book. I think.”


Rick Wakeman “Having had the great pleasure of
performing with Dana (in the musical sense of the word I hasten to add),
I only wish I had played on more of her recordings. Introduced to me by
her producer and mutual friend David Bowie, playing with her (again I
mean musically so as to avoid any confusion) on the famous Trident
Bechstein Grand was so enjoyable, and since then our paths have crossed
more than a few times… including us both playing at the same blues
festival in Ticino where her voice was truly amazing and better than
ever. A real talent with everything she has ever done …..I can’t wait to
read the book! A beautiful artistic lady in every sense of the word.”


Marc Almond “Dana is fearless. She treads all over
PC preciousness with some of the most funny and scandalous anecdotes
I’ve heard of a life outrageously lived. And if that wasn’t enough, she
sings the blues with a sauciness that’s chilli hot and ripe with erotic
innuendo that can only come from a lady of full experience . A treasure,
a legend, the Queen of cleavage and the last Empress of Bohemia.”


Aimi MacDonald “Such joyful memories of working with Dana in Pantomime; a very cool and focused, talented lady.”


Angie Bowie “YES, IT IS THE DANA GILLESPIE MEMOIR

Julian Clary “From David Bowie to Alf Garnett… They
say that variety is the spice of life, and Dana’s life has seen more
spice than most. What a life! What a woman! What a book!”


Cherry Vanilla “What an amazing career. You were
there with David and Defries before any of us were around. Keep making
music, writing, and being the sensual, beautiful woman that you are.”


Phill Brown “Dana Gillespie, with her entourage and
band, could be described with justification as the epitome of sex, drugs
and rock ‘n’ roll. The sessions I worked on with Dana went to further
extremes than any I worked on during the whole of the 1970s.”


Tony Defries “When I met Dana half a century ago, 
we formed an instant bond of mutual adoration. In all those years, time
has not tempered nor distanced nor dimmed That Loving Feeling.
She is exotic, adorable, uninhibited, beautiful, funny, erudite and
smart. Whether speaking or singing, her voice wraps around every note
with ease, while shades of caramel, toffee, and chocolate come to mind.
Her delivery and fabulous phrasing is effortless and relaxed, and she is
one of the most honest, generous, unassuming and unaffected artists I
have ever worked with.”