Thelma Houston to headline Utah Pride Festival
Grammy Award-winning disco diva, and former Motown artist, Thelma Houston will bring her musical stylings to the Utah Pride Festival Sunday, June 2. Houston, who is not related to Whitney Houston, has worked with everyone in the business, including Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye and Sting. Her 1977 number-one hit “Don’t Leave Me This Way” is her best known single, but her successful recording career spans three decades and 17 albums. She toured with Cher on her 2003 farewell tour and has been featured on American Idol and America’s Got Talent.
“I think the trick to staying in the industry for so long is to have a passion for music. You have to have a love for it and if you don’t, the audience will know,” Houston said. “I’ve seen a lot of industry changes, but the biggest is the emphasis on making money. It seems like most artists these days don’t have the right focus.”
Houston is no stranger to Pride festivals and is a regular performer at queer and HIV/AIDS fundraising events. Her passion for philanthropy began when the AIDS virus was starting to take effect, she said.
“We didn’t know what to call it and we weren’t organized. It was just that we saw our friends and family need help and we knew we had to do whatever we could to lend a hand,” Houston said.
She has used that experience as a basis for participation in various charities and events worldwide. And while gay crowds do not have a monopoly on energy and excitement, Houston said she loves to perform at Pride events because of the celebratory nature of the events. She’s been involved in queer-themed events for decades and she said she can’t wait to return to Utah.
“There’s something about my style of music that seems to bring back good times, and I think it has a special connection with the gay community. When a lot of our music was coming out, the equal-rights movement was really gaining ground so I think a lot of people have a nostalgic relationship with it,” Houston said. “Whether it’s KC and the Sunshine Band, Donna Summers, or some of my music, it just fits so well with a Pride festival.”
This will be Houston’s first Utah Pride Festival performance and she will be the headliner on the closing day of the festival. She will perform some of her classic hits and even some from an upcoming EP that will be released this summer, she said. While the details are still being worked out, Houston’s newest project will stay true to her disco roots while showcasing her vocal ability and musicality.
Hoping for a celebratory, excited and energized crowd, Houston said she hopes she can please existing fans and attract new faces to her show.
“We’ll have dancing and partying, and how the show goes will depend a lot on the audience. I am so excited to see more of Utah and I hope to meet as many festival participants as possible,” Houston said.
For tickets and more information, go to utahpridefestival.org.