For those wondering why the crowds at the bingo halls and lounges were so light on Friday, it’s because all of the aunties and play mamas within a 50 mile radius were at the Lumiere. No, they were not on deck for all-you-can-eat crab legs…or slot machines either. Betty Wright, the high-priestess of mid-song conversational breakdown was in town and nothing but death could’ve kept them from seeing her do her thing on stage in St. Louis for the first in a minute. And she was everything anyone could have asked for. Listen, Betty put the “school” in old school. Not only was she “earning her man while she was learning her man,” she was teaching us in the process. At any given moment during a Betty Wright selection you would get a sexual education class, a relationship session and peer mediation skills depending on the song… “Don’t blame Mr. Charlie, ‘cause Mr. Charlie is just a man and hee-eee…” sorry, I got caught up in the moment. Anyway, I’m so glad I got to see Betty in all of her gravel-voiced glory in the flesh –and trust me, your aunt Shirley was too.
