RIP Marsha Evans. Somebody please give me some encouraging words that will ease my soul about 2026 not trying to outdo 2025 and 2020 put together. Because when I woke up and saw that my girl Marsha Evans had gone to glory, it was almost too much for me to take. Y’all she gives me one of my favorite Salute moments when she performs with The Jazz Edge Big Band. I don’t know the how, nor do I know the when as far as the services go, but I will definitely keep you posted. Miss Marsha was one of one and she definitely left her mark. I all but fell out when I learned that she was sampled on Quavo’s record. Y’all remember that? I’ll never forget her and those big ole curls, or her even bigger smile. Condolences to all of the lives she touched, which is essentially this whole region! And 2026 needs to be put in check for all the folks it is snatching up out of here. As I was writing this, I found out that James Van Der Beek is no longer with us. I’m still shook about Deanne Lane and Catherine O’Hara, and now I have to find a way to live without Dawson!
Bad Bunny Bowl. In the words of the legendary T.S. Madison, I was feelin’ real Puerto Rickkin (her pronunciation) after watching Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show. I got my whole entire life. Who would have thought that those Espanol Wednesdays on “Sesame Street” would have paid off all these years later. I won’t say how many years, because I’m older than y’all think I am. “Titi Me Pregunto” took on a whole new meaning for me by the way my auntie was on my neck the whole show with, “What he talkin’ ‘bout now?” “Aint that the little boy from Mneudo? He turned out to really look like something. What is he talkin’ about?” My family still treats me like I’m a certified ESOL translator, so I could barely enjoy the show. They’ve had me gassed up like I’m a full blown bilingual my whole life. I found out the hard way that I wasn’t. I made a trip to San Juan and almost got laughed off the island trying to order myself “hamburgo.” But Back to Super Tazon LX! Did anybody else not bother to watch the rest of the game. The minute I saw Benito in that straw hat with all that sugar cane ambience, I knew that he was going to give the girls some scenic design for the ages. And I was right. From the bodega scene until they merengued on up out the stadium, it was lit! I’m not sure why Lady Gaga was a part of the show, but she’s everybody’s ally, so I will give her a pass. I was so checked out after the performance that when somebody asked me who won the actual Super Bowl LX, I said, “Bad Bunny.” Was I wrong? I don’t think so.
Singing the City Winery down. I got a double dose of good singing when I spun the block over at City Winery over the past few days. First off, if I drove to Indianapolis to see her throw down, you better know I had a seat near the front for Avery Sunshine’s weekend set. I’m absolutely loving her Joie Lee hair game with the honey blonde highlights. I don’t know the curriculum for the music program at Spelman. But what I do know based on Avery and Denise Thimes that includes wearing a hot red lip and singing a stage to oblivion. And speaking of Denise, who else got their whole entire life from her sold-out Nina Simone/Billie Holiday tribute set at City Winery last week? Wasn’t it everything your heart could desire? That’s a rhetorical question….but the answer is yes. Let me get back to her fellow Spelmanite, or whatever they call themselves. I love Avery to death – and, as always, she gave a show for the ages. But can anybody explain her stage attire mindset? From the neck up she was beat to the gods and slaying with the hair. But I guess she was like, “I’ll be sitting at the piano, so I’ll just leave this on. Nobody will notice my binge-watching outfit because of my hair, my makeup and this big glorious necklace.” And if she hadn’t hopped up from behind that piano, she would have been absolutely right! But I wouldn’t allow as much Avery Sunshine slander as I’ve just served up from anybody else, so let me just get to what I came here for – telling y’all how she incredible she was for her latest visit to the STL. I promise, if she came to town every week I would be front and center watching her do her thing!
An intimate evening with El DeBarge. Before that title compels y’all start the rumors, no we are not Al B. Luenell 2.0. I’m talking about how he gave us mint condition El at City Winery Wednesday night. I know I’ve given the DeBarge siblings the blues here and there over the years for different reasons. But in all fairness to myself, when they came correct, I most certainly said so. And he came correct. I feel like he is still mad at me for telling y’all that he said he was in Detroit when he was actually in St. Louis that one time. Hopefully he will forgive me for what I’m about to say next. That voice is still intact! His falsetto is undefeated. It made me marinate on the fact that I have never once – in my 40-plus years of listening to him – have I ever heard El’s voice crack. Not once. And I still can’t after seeing him on Wednesday. I almost didn’t see him. If I hadn’t already been at The Foundry being nosy trying to see what those St. Louis City SC Tina Turner jerseys were talking about, I would have missed him altogether. Thank you St. Louis City SC! Not only did you honor my girl Tina with the type of adidas drip that has me ready to spend my whole income tax refund check on, but you had me in the vicinity of City Winery when I forgot El was even coming. I also owe a bun tip to all the bedazzled stiletto boots tipping through the parking garage that got me curious about where they were limping to.