2026, girl, you better quit playing with me! You got my Mayor Reggie and my dear sweet Dolly. Leave Lionel Richie alone! You couldn’t have paid me to believe that he would be perched up in a St. Louis ICU after giving us that cute and nostalgic show Saturday night at The Muny. Now before I do another thing, let me tell y’all that TMZ and ‘nem had the people thinking that he was performing “All Night Long” on stage in a hospital bed wearing an oxygen mask with an IV drip. It was not that. Now he copped a squat for that last song. Other than that – and the times was at the piano – he was up the whole show. Now he was throwing back the electrolytes, but he made it through. He wasn’t at 100 percent, but I just charged it to the game of him being almost 80 and on the mend – which he talked about himself. I enjoyed the show – and you know as a natural born hater I would tell you if it was any different. My only note was gonna be to his wardrobe team, telling them that leather outfits might not be the move at a summer outdoor concert for somebody bouncing back from dehydration. No shade, I’m just sayin.’ But I want to wish Lye-o-nell (which is how he says people in the Midwest pronounce his name) a speedy recovery. Last I heard (Wednesday, Sept. 2) he was still admitted here in the STL. I’m sad because, I was all ready for this post to completely be about how he gave us a cute set despite being on the sick and shut in list just a month and some change ago – which he did. I still want to give a shout out to The Muny for giving us yet another great season finale show.
Tick tock on the Education Salute clock. Speaking of a month and some change, this is your weekly reminder that the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education will be here before you know it. Saturday, October 17 is six weeks and two days away. I might be in a bedazzled moo moo thanks to the diet setbacks I experienced at Foodies Eat First Fest two weeks ago and those Festival of Nation vendors last week. When I tell you I was cheating all over the world worse that Ludacris and Bobby Valentino! I’m going hard from here on until I make my grand entrance in the St. Louis Union Station Hotel on October 17. I’m telling you to get your tickets, if for nothing else but to see how snatched I can get between now and then! Visit www.stlamerican.com or call 314.533.8000 before it’s too late.
Miss Robbie rocked the house. Friday night I made my to Blue Strawberry to watch a St. Louis treasure take the stage. Miss Robbie Montgomery got it all the way in! Backed up by the Black and White Band, Miss Robbie, Delilah and Leon Lester sang that cabaret stage down to the studs! She sounded good…and looked even better. My soul won’t let me co-sign the Miss Laura wig (remember her from “Comic View?”) But from face-to-toe, Miss Robbie had me gagged. Ma’am, who did your makeup? Because the forecast on the stage was extra muggy! I got my whole entire life. She showed love to fellow ladies with STL roots with a taste of Tina Turner and Ann Peebles. All that was missing was a sip of Shirley Brown, but I won’t be greedy. She had the cutest set list that hit on Al Green, the Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight – who is also in my prayers – and more. And then she had the nerve to “Wang Dang Doodle” us out the door! There was also life more abundantly in the audience of bedazzled aunties of a certain age too. When I tell you they had their good clothes on. And just when I thought my heart couldn’t get any fuller, I set my eyes upon the great Johnny Hatchett a.k.a. the original dancing machine. At first, I didn’t think it was him. But then he hit a kick, split and shimmy combo with a James Brown scoot as he made his way back to his seat. Now Johnny Hatchett is before my time, but he had the moves – and made his way to national television because of them. And he is as charming as all my aunties and big cousins said. He even got Miss Robbie’s attention on her way to a wardrobe change and a wig fluff. My only note for her show is that I wish she would have sang “Boss Lady.” That song is a bop! I had a ball and I want to thank the folks at Blue Strawberry for making a girl feel right at home.