Patsy Vidalia (born Irving Ale; 1921 – August 29, 1982), also known as Jack-Patsy Vidalia, was an American female impersonator, singer and entertainer who was prominent in the social life of New Orleans from the 1940s to 1960s. His second name is given with various spellings, including Valdalia, Valdelar, Valdeler, Vadalia, and Valdia. He was born in Vacherie, Louisiana, the son of Orelia and Willie Ale.Bob L. Eagle, Eric S. LeBlanc, ''Blues: A Regional Experience'', ABC-CIO, 2013, p.173
/ref> After his father died, he moved to New Orleans with his mother, and became fascinated by the local female impersonators. By the mid-1940s, he was working as a female impersonator in New Orleans clubs. He gave himself the name Vidalia for the type of onion, which according to

Cosimo Matassa Cosimo Vincent Matassa (April 13, 1926 – September 11, 2014) was an American recording engineer and studio owner, responsible for many R&B and early rock and roll recordings. Life and career Matassa was born in New Orleans in 1926.Komorowsk ...

was also used as a slang term for a man who used

prostitute Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...

s,Jeff Hannusch, ''The Soul of New Orleans: a legacy of rhythm and blues'', pp.135-138, at ''QueerMusicalHeritage.com''
Retrieved 14 September 2015 and worked with others as one of the Valdalia Sisters. In 1947 he started working at the Dew Drop Inn, the center of the city's black musical scene, at the request of its owner Frank Painia. There, he became the club's resident MC, singer and bartender, and hosted the annual Halloween Gay Ball.Jeff Hannusch, "The South's Swankiest Night Spot: The Legend of the Dew Drop Inn", ''IkoIko.com''
. Retrieved 7 September 2015 He was known as "the Toast of New Orleans".Tom Aswell, ''Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll'', Pelican Publishing, 2013, p.38
/ref> His theme song was "Hip Shakin' Mama", first recorded by Chubby Newsom. His only recordings, "Rock Me Baby" and "Put Your Hand Over My Heart", made for Mercury Records in Los Angeles in 1953 with saxophonist Plas Johnson, were not successful. However, he was described as "one of the most colorful entertainers in New Orleans for two decades... a wild, over-the-top gay man, who expressed that gayness as a cross-dressing female impersonator... Patsy was not a great singer, but more than made up for it with his showmanship." His performances were an influence on

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...

, who saw him many times, and other performers including Irma Thomas."Patsy Vadalia", Liner notes for ''The New Orleans Sessions'', Mercury Records, at ''QueerMusicalHeritage.com''
Retrieved 14 September 2015
Retrieved 14 September 2015 He stopped performing regularly at the Dew Drop in the mid-1960s, to look after his ailing mother. His last public appearance was in 1980. He died at home in New Orleans in 1982.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vidalia, Patsy 1921 births 1982 deaths American drag queens American gay musicians American LGBT singers Gay singers LGBT people from Louisiana People from Vacherie, Louisiana 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American LGBT people