Английская Википедия:Blackberri

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:About Шаблон:Use mdy dates Шаблон:Infobox person Blackberri (born Charles Timothy Ashmore;[1] May 31, 1945 – December 13, 2021)[2] was an American singer-songwriter and community activist. His music focused on issues such as civil rights, LGBT rights, and pollution.[3] During the AIDS epidemic, Blackberri worked in HIV education and prevention in Black communities.

Early life

Blackberri was born in Buffalo, New York and raised in Baltimore.[4]

Blackberri was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1965.[1] He was discharged in 1966 for being gay. Blackberri stated "I was under investigation because one of my shipmates turned me inШаблон:Nbsp... they had evidence, they arrested me, went through my personal belongings and found incriminating letters and other things."[4] He got stranded in New York City, washing dishes and doing drugs.[3]

Career

Файл:Blackberri 20161214-9928.jpg
Blackberri performing at a 2016 event in Oakland

Blackberri studied voice at University of Arizona and sang the blues.[3] In Tucson, he started a rock band, Gunther Quint, with his first song "Frenchie", about a one-night stand before his discharge. While living in a feminist collective in 1970, he was named Blackberri, and changed his name legally.[4][5]

Blackberri moved to San Francisco in 1974 and joined BreezeШаблон:Clarify while busking to earn money. He dated Reiner, a blues guitar player from the East Coast.[4] In 1975, Blackberri's performance at the Two Songmakers concert was broadcast on KQED. This was the first gay-themed music featured on television in San Francisco.[6] In 1981, he released Blackberri and Friends: Finally.[4] He contributed to films Tongues Untied, Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives, and Looking for Langston.[2]

During the AIDS epidemic, Blackberri supported HIV education and prevention in the African-American LGBT community.[4][6] He was a death counselor at San Francisco General Hospital AIDS Ward through the Shanti Project.

In 2002, he received a Lifetime Achievement AIDS Hero Award at San Francisco Candlelight Vigil.[4] In 2017, he received the Audrey Joseph Entertainment Award from San Francisco Pride.[2] In 2019, his song "Eat the Rich" was included in Patrick Haggerty's Lavender Country.[7]

Personal life and death

Blackberri was a Lucumi priest who traveled to Cuba thirteen times.[1]

He had a heart attack in October 2021, and died on December 13, 2021, at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, California, at age 76.[2]

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Commons category

Шаблон:Authority control