We are mourning the passing, and celebrating the incredible life, of Walter Cole aka Darcelle XV, who left us this March at the age of 92. A legend of Oregon’s entertainment landscape, and Guinness World Record holder as oldest performing drag queen, Darcelle XV recorded two songs with Pink Martini, produced by Thomas M. Lauderdale, including her signature song “The Rose” (made famous by Bette Midler) and a brand-new version of “What’ll I Do?” Thomas says “If Oregon was a monarchy, without a doubt our Queen would have been Walter Cole, also known as Darcelle XV, who, with his partner Roxy LeRoy Neuhardt at his side, was a trailblazing pioneer for civil rights, a philanthropist and businessman, and a consummate entertainer with bigger and better closets than Imelda Marcos.”
TRACK LIST:
- The Rose
- What'll I Do?
