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Pride in the Desert is an all-day festival held at Reid Park that attracts more than 6,500 participants each year. Highlights of the festival are local, regional, and national entertainers performing live on our main stage as well as several smaller stages and dance areas featuring drag shows and other live entertainment. In addition to the multitude of entertainment venues, Pride in the Desert features commercial and non-profit exhibitors, a food court, and interactive displays and activities. Every year, our event grows to accommodate an ever-expanding number of vendors, exhibitors, and entertainers.
Important forms (PDFs)
Pride rates starting at $89/night.
www.hilton.com
2009 Pride in the Desert Main Stage Entertainers
2009 Performance Times (PDF Document)
HEADLINERS
Jonny McGovern & Team Pimp
Gay pop superstar, TV personality, and nightlife legend, "Gay Pimp" Jonny McGovern blazed onto the New York scene in 2000 with his satirical mix of character comedy and dirty gay hits and his fire continues to burn bright. Jonny broke into TV with several high profile gigs. Comedy Central's Out On The Edge, hosted by Alan Cumming brought Jonny’s Gay Pimp revue to a national TV audience. For an entire season, Ricki Lake highlighted his comedy and solidified his status as a ghetto superstar. He then began a long string of appearances on VH1, first being profiled on Totally Gayer and then starring on My Coolest Years. He is also a cast member of the sketch comedy show The Big Gay Sketch Show on the LOGO television network. Ari Gold
Award Winning Independent Recording Artist Ari Gold is turning the music scene on its head, rewriting the rules and trailblazing a storm of political pop. Ari has been seen and heard on TV and Radio on VH-1, MTV Europe, Radio 1, IFC, HBO Zone, Here!TV, BBC, FOX News, WOR, Sirius, XM, NPR and was the first independent artist to debut at #1 on LOGO. He has received critical acclaim from People Magazine, trade publications, Billboard and HITS and has appeared as a style icon in VIBE, W and V. Gracing the covers of countless magazines around the world Ari has built an international fan base as what he calls a "homofessional gaylebrity." Ari remains at the forefront of the fight for human rights. His song "Home" can be heard on the Human Rights Campaign's benefit album Love Rocks along with music by Melissa Etheridge, Christina Aguilera, and Dolly Parton and his song "Bashert (Meant To Be)" appears on the ACLU benefit CD Marry Me, released in an effort to secure the rights of same sex couples.Adam Joseph
Adam Joseph has exploded onto the scene with a debut that has music insiders comparing him to the likes of Anita Baker, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. His diverse background (hip hop + reggae + jazz + soul) vintage charm, and soft spoken charisma all foster this old souls unique style of musicianship. Adam’s music is a smart blend of soul and pop, catchy hooks and deep heartfelt lyrics.
God-des & She A hip-hop/pop/soul duo bred in the Midwest, God-Des & She now play to packed venues all over the world, from Lacrosse, Wisconsin, to Stockholm, Sweden. Ever since they appeared on Showtime’s The L Word three years ago, performing their infamous single “Lick It,” the pair haven’t had a moment’s rest, selling over 30,000 albums, holding down the #1 song spot on MTV LOGO with their song “Love You Better,” and signing autograph after autograph for eager fans. With their new unreleased album, God-Des & She are about to blow up—big. Produced by Brian Hardgroove (>Public Enemy, Wu Tang,Burning Spear, Aerosmith), their new album confirms their status as an underground act about to hit the mainstream.
ADDITIONAL MAIN STAGE ENTERTAINERS
Jessika Murphy
Jessika is a Phoenix-based singer, songwriter, speaker, sign language interpreter/teacher, humorist and encourager. She has spent the last 15 years singing and signing in cities across the southern and southwestern part of the United States.
A frequent guest of churches, festivals, conventions, and corporate events, Jessika has delighted listeners with her heart opening and enlightening approach to music and American Sign Language/Deaf Culture. Jessika's doses of humor, combined with powerful songs and storytelling tailored to each audience, deliver a relevant and entertaining message about the human side of personal, community, and world change.
Jessika is a classically trained soprano. Her musical style is also influenced by: Gospel, Classical, R & B, Jazz, and Pop. Her mission is to serve through music, to inspire, and to heal the world.
Boys R Us Heralding themselves as a "gender performance troupe" Boys R Us is a sparklingly unique gem of Tucson arts and culture. Not only do they blur the lines between traditionally accepted gender roles, but also they whimsically blend genres and media to produce a show that literally explodes off the stage with originality and edgy social consciousness. Though "gender-bending" is at the heart of what Boys R Us is doing, it is not always the point of their performances. Undeniably, it is the wide-ranging subject matter they tackle, and the social consciousness of their art in general that make their shows something any person can enjoy. In fact, entertainment is obviously the main goal as they pull no punches and play no favorites, but do it all with a smile and tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that anybody can appreciate. It is this universal appeal that makes Boys R Us an incredibly underrated rising star in the Tucson entertainment scene.
Myspace.com/tucsondragkings Marc Pedraza
Messages of equality, unity, freedom and a pro-peace approach to thinking are evident themes in Marc Pedraza’s music. He combines thought provoking lyrics with a unique blend of reggae, dub, and soul to create a style all his own. In addition to playing the main stage at Pride in the Desert, Mark will also be a featured performer at the Pride on Parade post-concert street party on October 9. Courtney Robbins
Courtney has been in Tucson for four years, hailing from the northeast. She got a black Ibanez electric guitar for her 13th birthday, and that was that. High school brought jazz band, self effacing garage bands and eventually the acoustic guitar. She honed her songwriting and performing skills in college at open mics, smokey bars, and warming up the stage for artists like Melissa Ferrick, Lucy Kaplansky, Catie Curtis, Edie Carey, Meghan Toohey, and Dar Williams. After graduating and living in small town western Massachusetts for six months, she packed up and got out, eventually landing in the dusty southwest. Her blistering guitar style often leaves her fingers bleeding; her straightforward songwriting skills are a figurative match. www.courtneyrobbins.com Namoli Brennet
Transgendered singer/songwriter Namoli Brennet has been criss-crossing the country in her battered Volvo wagon since the release of her 2002 CD, Boy in a Dress. Based in Tucson, AZ, the enigmatic and colorful Brennet has been sighted everywhere from the San Francisco Trans March to DC Pride, as well as legendary folk venues like Cambridge’s Club Passim and New York’s Bitter End. In between producing, engineering and releasing 6 CDs on her own label, Flaming Dame Records, she’s shared stages with Melissa Ferrick, Jill Sobule, Michelle Shocked, SONiA, Alix Olson, Garrison Starr, and Tim Easton. Achy Birds- Liz Stahler & Brianna Lane
 Liz Stahler and Brianna Lane met as many songwriters do, over a micro-brew and a cheeseburger at a club in some American city, guitars by their sides, calloused fingers and sore voices. After bonding over tour-stories and a love for songwriting these two decided to join forces for a Boston to Austin Tour celebrating their new releases. In addition to bringing their original acoustic-rock to 42 towns up and down the east coast Liz and Brianna will be lacing up their running shoes and participating in 5K races in Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN to raise money for various organizations such as The Lance Armstrong Foundation and Reach for the Skye.
 Dragstar Cabaret
Dragstar Cabaret is a Tucson-based performance troupe that showcases a variety of theatrical entertainment, including (but not limited to) burlesque, drag, fire manipulation and comedy. Each theatrical vignette is musically inspired and choreographed with the aim to illicit some species of stimulation, whether awe, delight, self- introspection or eroticism. We intend to reflect the world around us with a sense of irony, humor and celebration, while taking pride in exploring every spectrum of gender. Dragstar Cabaret wants to inspire our audiences with condensed, saturated illuminations of the brilliant and often chaotic, world in which we live.
Angie Evans  Angie Evans produces music that is thought provoking and tasty. Her poetic lyrics and soulful voice speak of love, sex, passion and consciousness. One listen will leave you feeling liberated, motivated, and full of positive energy. Angie's debut album 'Cycle of Fruit' was released in 2008 on Independent Freedom Tribe label and is now available on www.angieevans.com and www.myspace.com/angievans
Sabra Faulk Born and raised in Willcox, Arizona, Sabra Faulk grew up in a musical family and started playing professionally at the age of 17. From country to blues to funk, she cut her teeth on Americana. With the 2007 release of her most intimate and personal album 28 Churches 5 Bars, Sabra established herself as a truly moving singer and songwriter. Her solo debut at the 2007 Tucson Folk Festival was a dream come true for her. Whether she is playing funky bass in her band Soulcake, or playing solo at a coffeehouse, she is at home in the world of music.
Patty Larkin
Patty Larkin has been redefining the boundaries of folk-urban pop music for more than 20 years with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising vocals and lyrics. Acoustic Guitar hails her “soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her “evocative and subtle sonic shading.” She has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly) and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter).
Patty Larkin has always prided herself in her creative approach to her music. She has ten solo recordings to her credit, the most recent of which is Watch The Sky on Vanguard Records. Sky is ambient and ambitious, written, recorded, performed and produced by Patty Larkin. A New York Times “critics choice,” the result is a raw, intimate and gorgeous sound that is all her own. Her first project since her ground-breaking La Guitara, a compilation of international women guitarists, this new intimate work finds Larkin digging deep as an instrumentalist, producer, songwriter and now engineer, who uses technology as a part of her artistic expression. www.pattylarkin.com
Too Much Information Too Much Information (TMI) is what develops when two friends who share the same birthday (among other things) launch a project together. Band co-founders Jennifer R. Lopez and C. Michael Woodward were born on April 23 and find that is only the beginning of their similarities. With Michael as lead singer, TMI plays the music of the "post-Boomer generation"— 70s and 80s classic rock —as well as a mix of older and newer hits. The band recently debuted its first original song, "Down in New Orleans", a soulful blues tribute to the victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina. TMI is proud to point out that five of its six members are transgender, transsexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or some combination thereof—plus one straight ally. www.tmi-band.comDat Gurl Famous Lesbian Rapper Dat Gurl Famous has been on the music scene since early 2006. Freestyling since the age of 13, she finally decided to follow her dreams and do what she loves and that is make music. She released her first album called “My World” in late 2006 where she gained many fans all around the world. Her hit single Sex and Money still is talked about to this day. She has performed with the likes of famous rappers such as Gorilla Zoe, DJ Unk, Dolla, Bone Thugz N Harmony, Paula DeAnda, Frankie J, Brown Boy, plus many more. Her second album, "Sex In My City" will be sure to show a more mature side to her style. With more than 650,000 plays on her MySpace, Dat Gurl Famous is bound to make it bigger than ever in the music business.
MAIN STAGE EMCEE Bunny Fu FuThis year, Tucson Pride Incorporated is proud to present Bunny Fu Fu as our Tucson Pride 2009 Mistress of Ceremonies. Bunny resides in Tucson, AZ with her partner of 8 years and her three kids (dogs) Buddy, Newton and BiBi. Miss Fu Fu recently celebrated her 13 year anniversary in entertainment as one of Arizona’s most admired and iconic female impersonators. She has honored the coveted titles of Miss Gay Tucson 2001, Miss Gay Cosmopolitan 2002, Miss Gay Copper Cities 2004 and Miss Gay Arizona 2004! Bunny has been a long time, dedicated supporter of Tucson’s LGBT community. Her efforts have helped raise hundred of thousands of dollars for some of her most respected charitable organizations such as Positively Beautiful, TIHAN and Wingspan. Join Bunny and Tucson Pride October 9-10, 2009., IBT’S, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:00pm. COFFEEHOUSE STAGE ENTERTAINERS Curt Beall
Curt Beall has been writing music and playing guitar in numerous bands for 30 years. He here from Buffalo, NY where he was also in several bands. He last played the Tucson Pride festival with the band BMT which opened the festival in 2003. He has released several CDs, most notably the 2007 "Complilations" CD. Curt is looking forward to again opening the Pride festival with his brand of folk and country/indie music.Candice Aragon Candice Aragon is an accomplished singer/songwriter, opening for Heart and Chris Isaac at the Celebrity Theatre. She has performed all around Phoenix for 4 years at Ritz, The Rhythm Room, The Orpheum, & at the Phoenician. She plays all originals from her heart on acoustic guitar and piano. She'll soon take the stage, along with Michelle Branch, at the upcoming Chicks with Picks Festival.
Leila Lopez Leila Lopez is a gentle, passionate soul whose inner rhythms manifest an assumingly gorgeous grace. In broad sweeping colors of folk, jazz and latin influence, Leila’s mellifluous voice and quiet chords articulate a prayerful, joyful love of life, as if to remind us, “The universe is not made up of atoms, but of music.”Leila has been exploring, discovering and sharing her musical mind since she was a wee lass, having first learned to play the guitar from listening and watching her father when eight years old. Wrapping her heart and hands around the cello in grade school, Leila broadened her knowledge of music theory and strengthened her lyrical intuition. She has since found inspiration in a variety of instruments, including the drums, bass guitar, flutes, hand percussion, violin and mandolin. Leila has been recording, producing and distributing her albums independently for three years. She has had the honor to open for national performances of Joanna Newsom, Tim Reynolds, The Mountain Goats, Amos Lee, Brandi Carlile, Keaton Simons and the Hot Buttered Rum String Band. Leila is presently working on a new album and planning a west coast summer tour. In addition to playing the CoffeeHouse stage at Pride in the Desert, Leila will also be a featured performer at the Pride on Parade post-concert street party on October 9. Koyote Kingz Lisa Otey Lisa Otey sings with a style of her own, tinged with Elvis and Billie Holiday and mixed with some driving barrelhouse and hot jazz piano. This talented performer has been heralded worldwide for her sophisticated and sensual sound. Her progressive blues style has won her many awards, including 2001 Arizona Blues Hall of Fame, 2001 TAMMIES Best Keyboards, 2001-2004 Arizona Commission on the Arts, 2000 Arizona Composer of the Year, the 1998 Arizona Blues Showdown Championship, 1997 TAMMIES Musician of the Year and, frequently, Best Performing Artist of Tucson. This rising star is making a name for herself in the world of blues and jazz music. www.owlsnestmusic.com/lisaotey/index.htm Diane Van Deurzen Diane Van Deurzen’s debut CD, “I Never Knew”, is a celebration of love, passion and poetry. Diane dedicates her work to the memory of her father, Paul Van Deurzen, a Dutch immigrant who taught Diane about the wonder of things and the importance of hard work. He also gave her a love for music.
From the time she was a young girl, Diane’s father played records for her and encouraged her to sing along to the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Shirley Horn, and Etta James. Her father was her greatest supporter, attending as many of her performances as he could. When Diane started to sing professionally, he was also her greatest promoter, telling everyone at the mill and the supermarket and the pharmacy to hire his daughter to sing for their weddings and parties.
Diane pays tribute to her father in the song, “That Lucky Old Sun”, and celebrates the great singers he introduced her to with songs like “A Sunday Kind of Love”, “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” and “Exactly Like You”.
Backed by Lisa Otey on piano, Diane embraces her audience with her sweet, sultry, and oh, so sophisticated sound and walks us down her honey path to a place we never knew. www.owlsnestmusic.com/DianeV/ Reveille Reveille Men's Chorus is celebrating it's 15th year of changing lives through music. What began in 1995 as gay men's community chorus of just a few singers has grown over the years into a Tucson institution of seasoned performers with an added public health focus on HIV/AIDS awareness, education and prevention. Under the leadership of their artistic director Shaw Cullen, Reveille continues to have an impact on the lives of the GLBT community in Southern Arizona. Reveille performs two major concerts a year, one in the spring and a holiday show in December. In addition Reveille does outreach performances throughout the year and is a mainstay at such events as AIDS Walk, TIHAN's Musical Potpourri, AIDS Candlelight Vigil, Wingspan Annual Dinner, Pride in the Desert and Gay West. Reveille has traveled to Mexico and Brazil to raise money for HIV/AIDS support institutions in those countries. Reveille's mission is dedication to musical excellence, performing locally and internationally while promoting human rights, diversity and a world free from AIDS. You can reach Reveille on the web at www.reveillemenschorus.org.Jessika Murphy Arthur Migliazza
Arthur Migliazza began taking piano lessons at age 9. Arthur was immediately drawn to the soul in blues music and began listening to blues piano greats such as Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree, Jimmy Yancey, Professor Longhair, Jay McShann, Katie Webster, and many more. Their influences can be heard in his playing today. Inspired by his immense talent, blues piano luminaries such as Ann Rabsan, Mr. B, and the great New Orleans keyboard master Henry Butler have all taken Arthur under their collective wing and given him lessons. In 2005, Arthur was awarded the Tucson Area Music Award for Best Keyboardist. During the past few years, Arthur has been featured on the Cincinnati Blues Fest's Arches Piano Stage multiple times, has taught piano at August Blues Week in Elkins, WV, and has traveled regularly to Hiroshima, Japan to play at the Soho jazz club. In 2004 he released his debut self-titled solo album, and has recently released his second, entitled Pumping Ivories (2006). http://www.arthurmigliazza.com Chris Jacob Born and raised in the Midwest with a migrant’s spirit and a song to sing. Chris Jacob writes and performs with the authenticity of a true folkster. Time spent in the basement archives of Smithsonian folkways records to the stages of North American folk festivals has helped shape his dynamic and inclusive sound. His music carries the essence of a well-traveled individual blending indie, folk, honky-tonk, and experimental into a unique body of work with heart on your sleeve lyrics and an unconventional guitar style. as a songwriter and a performer, Chris proves that the essence of the people and of the land can be captured in song.
Amber Norgaard In Arizona, she’s referred to as “the love child of Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan and Melissa Etheridge.” The Tucson Lifestyle Magazine writes “a singer/songwriter to be reckoned with…the petite powerhouse is one part poet, and one part social crusader.” Amber Norgaard, a nurse-turned-musician, was the 2007 Up & Coming Artist of the Year in the Tucson Area Music Awards, and a finalist in California-based 2007 Winery Music Awards. Amber's performance will feature 5x GRAMMY nominee and 2x Native American Award winner Will Clipman (www.willclipman.com) on his pan-global percussion kit.
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