Seattle Gay News
Issue 29, Volume 41, July 19, 2013
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer
curb records
LEANN RIMES WOODLAND PARK ZOO July 26 LeAnn Rimes didn’t just emerge on the music scene in 1996, she exploded onto it. Her debut album, Blue, bouyed by its megahit title track, sold 123,000 copies in its first week of release. She closed out the year with one of the topselling albums on both the country
and pop charts, and then won two Grammys, including Best New Artist. This all happened by the age of 14. Fast-forward to 2013: Rimes is 30 and her career now includes a trophy case of awards, sold-out tours that extend to Europe, Australia, and Asia (she’ll perform in Taiwan soon), and an acting career with roles in TV movies and sitcoms (including last week’s episode of Anger Management). The country star arrives at Woodland Park Zoo on July 26 for a one-night performance that will feature songs from various albums, such as the brand new Spitfire (visit www.zoo.org for ticket info). A strong LGBT supporter, she performed with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles in 2010 to memorialize Gay teens who committed suicide as a result of bullying. I reached the musician-actress by phone at her L.A. residence, and she was such a delight to speak with – incredibly kind and conversive. Here’s what LeAnn Rimes and I talked about inside “The Music Lounge.” see rimes page 4
Seattle’s fifth annual Red Dress Party will be held this Saturday, July 20, at Fremont Studios. This year boasts an impressive, varied list of celebrity guests and entertainers and will raise funds for five HIV/AIDS relief nonprofits: Gay City Health Project, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, BABES NetworkYWCA, the Inspire Youth Project (formerly Rise n’ Shine), and Rosehedge/Multifaith Works. After interviewing celebrity guest DJ Chi Chi LaRue last week, SGN spoke with one of Seattle’s premier celebrity entertainers, Gaysha Starr, who relocated to Aspen, Colorado, earlier this year and will be returning for Red Dress. “This will be my fourth year. I started off as a guest drag queen entertainer for my first one and then I got asked to be a hostess for my second one. Last year I was asked to be a member of the steering committee,” Starr told SGN. In the last few years, Starr has taken on behind-the-scenes roles see gaysha page 6
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Corey Monteith, who skyrocketed to fame as high school hunk Finn Hudson on the popular TV series “Glee,” was found dead Saturday afternoon in a hotel room in Vancouver, B.C., where he had spent the past week. On July 16, the British Columbia Coroner’s Service confirmed what many had feared – that Monteith died of an overdose of heroin and alcohol. He was 31 years old and his death is believed to have been accidental. Speculation that Monteith had overdosed began as soon as the star’s death was reported by media. Monteith had been public about his battle with alcohol and drugs. The character he played on Glee, Finn, made him a see monteith page 16
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nate gowdy / seattle gay news
by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer