Long Beach Pride’s Jennifer Corday on her influences and inspirations, queer folks’ similar life experiences and homophobia in the music industry
BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ZIV SADE
Award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist and cellist Jennifer Corday, performing at Long Beach Pride this month, has always been a performer, from “outta the womb,” she states in an interview with THE FIGHT.
Born and raised in Long Beach, Corday “started playing the cello in the 4th grade, and then picked up my brother’s electric bass in middle school, so I was playing in orchestra and jazz band. Music was always a big part of my life.”
“It may sound contrived,” reveals Corday, “but my influences and inspirations were the Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge…”
“I actually learned to play guitar with Indigo Girls’ songs. I can read bass clef and am trained on cello and bass, but guitar I basically picked up from my girlfriend in college. We learned all their songs and I have such great respect for their lyrics and melodies. Melissa was also a big influence, and although I was too young to attend her live shows in Long Beach I was on the tail end of that and heard all about them. I played a residency at the Que Sera where Melissa’s gold record hung, and I also played once a month at the Executive Suite, both Melissa’s stomping grounds! It gave me hope to feel like it was possible. Melissa is a bad-ass, and I was thrilled to be selected to perform on the Melissa Etheridge Cruise a few years back. It was after that I launched The Melissa Etheridge Experience, a tribute show where I impersonate Melissa and play all your 80s and 90s favs! I’ll be doing that show July 20th at The Gaslamp in Long Beach.”
“I think there is no reason to be segregated musically, and my songs and my live show will appeal to everyone under the queer umbrella! Of course, straight folks like me too, but I do think there’s an extra spoonful of honey in your heart when you hear lyrics that you identify with.”
When asked if she has encountered homophobia in the industry, Corday reveals the she “was kicked out of a restaurant-brewery for singing my parody song ‘Redneck Lesbo’ but I guess I can understand given the raunchy nature of the lyrics. Still it felt a little homophobic… they shut down the whole show and made us leave. I also do feel like it did become an issue at some more traditional venues, because of my following. They would admit their concern with my following and their fear of being perceived as a ‘gay bar’ if there were too many women, or not enough of a mixed crowd, and I think I did lose quite a few gigs. The great thing is though, I gained that many more! So overall, I would say it helps more than hinders, especially today. If I am traveling to any city, I feel like I can find a gay area or gay bar and I will have a foot in the door. Not to mention gay cruises. WAY more fun to play than straight cruises, right? I am starting to gain more gay and transgender fans as I expand my fanbase, which is most often the true-blue lesbians. I am excited about that! I think there is no reason to be segregated musically, and my songs and my live show will appeal to everyone under the queer umbrella! Of course, straight folks like me too, but I do think there’s an extra spoonful of honey in your heart when you hear lyrics that you identify with. And you align with an artist you feel gets you. You become a super fan because you are cut from the same cloth. And I think all of us L-G-B-Ts and Qs have similar life experiences, best expressed through art and music.”
Corday says that she is thrilled to be a part of Long Beach Pride this year. “I played at Long Beach Pride when I was first starting out so it reminds me of how far I’ve come… It is really special to play in my hometown… I love our beautiful Long Beach location at Shoreline Park and I am super excited to take the main stage at this point in my career, when things are really taking off!”
Catch Jennifer Corday’s show inside the festival on the Main Stage, Saturday May 18th, 1:30pm-2:10, with her full band. She will also be performing on Sunday, May 19th at the Long Beach Pride Party happening at Harvelle’s, 201 E. Broadway, after the parade.
For more news and all show dates visit: www.corday.net.
