Her shocking lyrics were accompanied by gossip column stories that readers would have found equally shocking. Tragic Facts About Bessie Smith, The Empress Of The Blues, Eleanor Of Aquitaine Was Englands Fiercest QueenUntil Her Brutal End, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Truth Hurts: Binge-Worthy Stories About The Biggest Liars Of All Time, These Mega Embarrassing Moments Still Made Us Burst Out Laughing, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall. Then again, there were rumors that would have made her mother straight-up faint. Bentley also studied to be a minister, claiming to have been "cured" by taking female hormones. She took a seat at the piano on the set and performed a song that showed a vocal range and confidence that hadnt diminished since her days in Harlem. Some even claimed that her infamous penthouse, complete with a coterie of servants and a car, actually belonged to one of Bentleys rich lesbian lovers. . My hands fairly flew over the keys. She knew what was popular, what she could do, and what people would pay to see, he says. She mostly sang in a deep, low range, but also reached high notes. When she eventually left the Clam House for the swanky Ubangi Club on Park Avenue, she reportedly rented an extravagant penthouse apartment that would have raised her mothers eyebrows. When Bentley showed up for a given performance, shed soon find that officers had locked up her venues in an attempt to drive away her business. Search above to list available cemeteries. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. On top of that, the news got out in a sensational way. The timing of her downturn in health spurred theories that Gladys drank herself to death, wracked with worry and suffering from a broken heart while her son was serving overseas in Germany. . He wondered whether Bentley's father's sudden death resulted from an undiagnosed arrhythmia that triggered a . Gipson shortly after arriving on the West coast. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. By the 1950s, Gladys Bentley was making some even more rash decisions. In later years, she participated in Titanic-related events after the wreckage was discovered. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. While Wilson says there is no record of that union taking place, the story is still a glimpse into Bentleys unapologetic openness about her sexual orientation, and her acute understanding of the power of shock value. Elvis' Mother Cause Of Death. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Upon hearing the news, Elvis immediately returned to the hospital. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. He was very close to his mother, which made her death that much more heartbreaking. Her career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry's Clam House in New York in the 1920s, as a black, lesbian, crossdressing performer. Then she proceeded to blow his mind. In her brief years, Bentley had seen America transform from a hedonistic party to a strait-laced society, and she came out the other side just as changed herself. . Gladys Bentley's speakeasy from the Harlem Renaissance, "Clam Jam," was a gay nightlife scene 100 years ahead of its time. Sadly, Bentleys confessions dont stop there. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. She was larger in size and preferred to wear her brother's suits instead of dresses or blouses. She died at 97, also becoming. Yep, the young cook later denied ever having a wedding ceremony with the singer. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Gladys Bentley: 0: French: Gladys Bentley: chanteuse de blues amricaine: 0: Dutch: Gladys Bentley: Amerikaans zangeres (1907-1960) . Bentley made her spectacular debut on the Great White Way in 1933until it turned into an utter disaster. She was revolutionary in her masculinity: "Differing from the traditional male impersonator, or drag king, in the popular theater, Gladys Bentley did not try to 'pass' as a man, nor did she playfully try to deceive her audience into believing she was biologically male. [26], In 2019, The New York Times newspaper began a series called "Overlooked No More," in which the editorial staff aims to correct a perceived bias in reporting by republishing obituaries for historical minorities and women. BETSY LAYNE, Ky. The Floyd County school district is mourning the death of an elementary school teacher. Bentley became an active member of the "Temple of Love In Christ" Church and was on her way to becoming an ordained minister at the time of her death from pneumonia at the age of 52. We are sad to announce that on July 1, 2021, at the age of 87, Gladys Bentley of New York Mills, Minnesota passed away. Bentleys fame was a product of being both a gifted singer and an adept provocateur. The 1950s were even more conservative than the early part of the 20th century. [20], In 1930, Bentley lived with a woman named Beatrice Robert. Your Privacy Rights Thing is, Bentley didnt keep her private life private, not by a long shot. Bentley died of pneumonia unexpectedly at her home in Los Angeles on January 18, 1960, aged 52. Her performances were "comical, sweet and risqu"[9] for the era and the audience. Later psychiatrists would coin Bentley's non-heteronormative behavior as "extreme social maladjustment." Eventually, Gladys grew old enough to notice this icy upbringingand the consequences were devastating. imported from Wikimedia project. A system error has occurred. Learn more about managing a memorial . Heck no. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. For the customers of the club, one of the unique things about my act was the way I dressed, she wrote. She was the oldest of four children and, in her own words, neither wanted nor loved, because her mother had wanted a boy and was bitterly disappointed. From early on, Bentley overtly included sexuality in her act with her song content, stage moves, and attire. Hansberry was so vengeful, he wasnt content to just sue Bentley; he also tried to prevent her from seeking any further success. Bentley was known for being open about her lesbianism, and incorporated it into her stage show. Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Actress Lynda Baron, best known for her role as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in BBC TV sitcom Open All Hours, has died at the age of 82. Haleema Shah 08/12/1907 . Mother of Elvis Presley. Her success picked up again during World War II with the expansion of gay bars on the West Coast. Years before Bentley played midtown nightclubs, she got her musical career started at rent parties, where people in Harlem would cover the costs by charging admission for private parties with alcohol and live performances. Gladys Bentley Early Life Story, Family Background and Education . Blues Singer. Advertising Notice She was a big woman, about 250 to 300 pounds and wore . She tried to continue her musical career but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. Bentley began singing at rent parties and buffet flats. She marched right over one night during a packed audience and met the clubs skeptical boss, Harry Hansberry. But trouble started as soon as Gladys was born. We want our readers to trust us. By the late 1930s, the Harlem Renaissance and Gladys Bentley, had lost their allure. She had been living in California with her mother and was waiting to be ordained as a minister in the Temple of Love in Christ, Inc. Today, she is being rediscovered for the same reason that her story was obscured during her youth. Within months of Bentleys entrance into Broadway, the authorities had cottoned onto to her risqu shows, and they made sure to nip them right in the bud. Gladys Bentley on "You Bet Your Life" with Groucho Marx Her performances at the Clam House attracted luminaries like poet Langston Hughes and the photographer Carl Van Vechten, who both sang her praises. The Prohibition Era had come to an end, and now white pleasure-seekers frequented Harlem far less than before. The duo insisted that Bentley left them high and dry at the rise of the club and wanted to pursue other interests that she could financially benefit from. In 1960, after a lifetime as a popular entertainer and a woman who lived on the fringes in a world that wasnt ready to accept her, Gladys Bentley succumbed to pneumonia. Langston Hughes praised Bentley as an amazing exhibition of musical energya large, dark, masculine lady, whose feet pounded the floor while her fingers pounded the keyboarda perfect piece of African sculpture, animated by her own rhythm., As her star rose, Bentley began playing larger Harlem venues, like the Cotton Club and the iconic gay speakeasy the Clam House. Although she was a talented singer and pianist, her lyricism and queer presentation truly made her stand out. Cookie Settings, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, Balto's DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog, The Science of California's 'Super Bloom,' Visible From Space, What We're Still Learning About Rosalind Franklins Unheralded Brilliance. [2] She heard that Harry Hansberry's Clam House on 133rd Street, one of the city's most notorious gay speakeasies,[8] needed a male pianist. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7634493/gladys-alberta-bentley. This browser does not support getting your location. Roberts later denied that they had ever married. Elvis' parents Vernon and Gladys | Photo by Getty Images Elvis was inconsolable following his mother's death After Gladys passed away, Elvis reportedly sank to his knees and wept. Gladys Bentley - Performer (1907-1960) At the height of her career during the 1920s and 1930s, Gladys Bentley was the most well-known and financially successful black women in the United States. But theres something very disturbing about this story. 0 cemeteries found in Carson, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Bentley died of pneumonia unexpectedly at her home in Los Angeles on January 18, 1960, aged 52. Louisiana Death Records. In fact, she became the most prominent mannish lesbian of the Harlem Renaissance. She headlined in the early 1930s at Harlem's Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line . From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. Yet the reality behind her death was far too simple, and far too tragic. Note: Although some historians view Bentley as a trans-masculine figure, she used she/her pronouns throughout her life. Privacy Statement (Born on April 25, 1912, Gladys was actually 46 when she died.) This is a carousel with slides. The Grammy-nominated artist's prolonged absence from social media . ", Gladys Bentley performing "Them There Eyes" with Groucho Marx on, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Gladys Bentley, Gender-Bending Blues Performer and '20s Harlem Royalty", "The Great Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke All the Rules", "A Spectacle in Color: The Lesbian and Gay Subculture of Jazz Age Harlem", National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gladys Bentley, more than a liberated singer, "Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke Ground with Marriage to a Woman in 1931", "shirlette celebrates Gladys Bentley in PBS American Masters Series, UNLADYLIKE2020", Collection of newspaper clippings and recording information about Gladys Bentley, from Queer Music Heritage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gladys_Bentley&oldid=1147239415, The Mad House, 133rd Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, Harry Hansberry's Clam House ("Gladys' Clam House"), 133rd Street, Harlem, Harlem, New York City, New York, Ubangi Club, Harlem, New York City, New York, Connie's Inn ("Jungle Alley"), 2221 Seventh Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, "Worried Blues" / "Ground Hog Blues" (August 1928) #8610, "Wild Geese Blues" / "How Much Can I Stand" (November 1928, with piano, not released), "Wild Geese Blues" / "How Much Can I Stand" (November 1928, with guitar) #8643, "Red Beans and Rice" / "Big Gorilla Man" (March 1929) #8707, "Washboards Get Together" / "Kazoo Moan", #38127, scatting vocal on A-side only (title often listed as "Washboard Get Together"), with the Washboard Serenaders, recorded March 1930; reissued twice, as Bluebird B-5790 (circa 1934) and B-6633 (circa 1936), "Boogie'n My Woogie" / "Thrill Me Till I Get My Fill", #164, "Red Beans & Rice Blues" / "Find Out What He Likes (and How He Likes It)" #165/166, "Big Gorilla Blues" / "Lay It on the Line", #166/165, "Notoriety Papa" / "It Went to the Girl Next Door", #169, "July Boogie" / "Gladys Could Play", #337, as Fatso Bentley, July 4, 1953, "Easter Mardi Gras" / "Before Midnight", Flame 1001, Cincinnati, early 1950s, label misspells name as Gladys Bently; mentioned in her August 1952 article in, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 17:37. On January 18, 1960, when Bentley was still just 52 years old, she passed quite suddenly in her Los Angeles home. Bentley always had expensive tastes; she just never had the bank account to match. Gladys Bentley died suddenly from the flu in Los Angeles in 1960 at the age of 52. Born in Philadelphia, she moved to New York City at the age of 16 and began her career as a performer at Harry Hansberry's Clam House on 133rd Street, one of the city's most notorious gay speakeasies. She and Elvis survived the tornado that struck Tupelo on April 5, 1936. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Yet although the singer still brought the house down, her comeback only lasted three short years. Think this stopped Gladys Bentley? She kept on performing, but in womens clothing. Gladys Bentley joined New York's Harlem Renaissance jazz scene at age 16 and became an instant sensation and gender identity pioneer, performing piano and vocals at the most popular gay bars . By 1933, Bentley had parlayed her fame into country-wide domination. Want just a taste of Gladys Bentleys scorching lyrics? She would later denounce her lesbianism during the McCarthy era in an Ebony magazine article, "I Am Woman Again." There are no volunteers for this cemetery. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. When prohibition ended in the 1930s, it was a slow, painful death for Bentleys career, and her speakeasy gigs started to dry up as booze flooded the public markets. She recorded in 1945 for the Excelsior label. Even more, she often sang about "sissies" and "bulldaggers"[10] and, through innuendo or more literally, about her female lovers, and she flirted with women in the audience. Blues Singer. Get the latest on what's happening At the Smithsonian in your inbox. Terms of Use In August 1928, she signed with Okeh Records company and recorded eight sides over the course of the next year up until 1929. James T. Wilson, Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010); Irene Monroe, Honoring Notorious Gladys, The Huffington Post Blog (February 12, 2010), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/irene-monroe/honoring-notorious-gladys_b_459929.html; http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/Bentley/BentleyBio.html. Singing the Gender-Bending Blues. Gladys Knight Death Hoax Dismissed Since Singer Is 'Alive And Well'. [21] In 1931, Bentley had a civil ceremony in New Jersey, in a public union with a white woman whose identity is unknown. The cause of death was a heart attack, and it was later discovered that one of the contributing factors was liver failure due to alcohol poisoning. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. I wore immaculate full white dress shirts with stiff collars, small bow ties and shirts, oxfords, short Eton jackets and hair cut straight back.. "She was just defiant in who she was, and for gender and sexuality studies today, she shows the performance of . Openly lesbian, she sang raunchy remakes of popular tunes in a deep voice, dressed in her signature men's style of tuxedo and top hat. At least, I always thought I was." With the repeal of Prohibition, her popularity and public tolerance of openly gay persons waned. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Bentley met Don when he phoned her up one day, claiming to know a mutual friend. When word got around that the great Gladys Bentley was no longer with us, her old friends and fans must have been shocked and looking for answers. The family struggled financially. Bentley was born August 12, 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George L. Bentley, an American, and his wife, Mary Mote, a Trinidadian. In 1931, Gladys Bentley was at the top of her game, and was one of the most sought-after performersand loversin the United States. He was inconsolable as he sank to his knees beside his mother's bed. Suddenly, she had to get a special permit to wear mens clothing for her performances, and endured heckling on the streets. By 1933, Bentley headlined in nightclubs and theatres such as The Cotton Club and The Apollo. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. I Am A Woman Again is a fraught, heartbreaking artifact of Bentleys life. One of the frustrating and actually joyous things about Gladys Bentley was she was constantly inventing herself, Wilson says. She quickly made a name for herself as somebody who sang ribald songs, says Wilson. But they werent all there for the right reasons. When Gladys Bentley performed in speakeasies, especially at the beginning of her career, a curious thing started happening. She relocated to southern California, marketing herself as Americas Greatest Sepia Piano Player and The Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs, a cheeky nod to her inelegant lyrical double entendres. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. [2] In Bentley's Ebony article,[3] she wrote about trouble in the home as she was growing up and the relationship between her and her mother. Shed made a scandalous name for herself singing her dirty songs, and audiences came out in droves. Lila Gladys Young was a Canadian woman who operated The Ideal Maternity Home, a discreet residence for unwed pregnant mothers in Nova Scotia between 1928 and 1947. . Gladys Bentley Death: and Cause of Death On January 18, 1960, Gladys Bentley died of non-communicable disease. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Like a great number of lost souls, I inhabited that half-shadow no mans land which exists between the boundaries of the two sexes.. Even better, when the columnist asked, Well, whos the man? Bentleys reply was oh-so-satisfying. She is buried beside her mother at Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson, California. At the time of her death, she was 53 years old. Drag performers often backed her up at the . The article was accompanied by photos of Bentley wearing a matronly white housedress and performing the role of homemakerpreparing meals, making the bed for her husband, wearing a dress and flowers in her hair. Get it, Gladys. Within weeks of starting her gig at the Clam House, Bentley transformed the whole jointliterally. Gladys Love Smith parents Bob and Dolly Smith . According to Elvis History Blog, Gladys Presley, the mother of Elvis Presley, died "of a heart attack" at the age of 46, the cause of death given in an Associated press story from the time.. In Bentleys account of her life, her audience was as fascinated by her style as it was by her music. GladysCrawford1909IndianaGladys Crawfordin 1940 United States Federal Census Gladys Crawfordwas born circa 1909, at birth place, Indiana, to Lon H Crawfordand Pearl Crawford. "Biblical Gender Bending in Harlem: The Queer Performance of Nugent's Salome. This service only issues certified copies of microfilmed death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana between 1911-1972. 1 reference. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. "She was always my best girl." She dressed in men's clothes (including a signature tail coat and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting with women in the audience. Bentley reported wearing her three younger brothers suits to school when growing up. She went to Broadway anywaybut she would live to regret it. Bentley didnt do anything by halves. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. It was discovered that one of the contributing factors to the attack was liver failure due to alcohol poisoning. On Thursday, Charlie Monk, music publisher and family friend of the country singer-songwriter, confirmed to The Tennessean that Weatherly died on Wednesday. Yet in California, Bentley only got into some silver screen drama. While Bentley was in California, the halcyon days of the liberal Roaring Twenties transformed into conservatism almost overnight, and she didnt find as many friendly faces in her crowds. She began to resent her brothers and didnt want men to touch her, yet she also started wearing boys clothes and suits instead of skirts and blouses, partly in a bid to emulate who her mother wanted her to be. "She was always my best girl." At her funeral, Elvis was inconsolable. 5. The best part? Her biggest dramas, however, were yet to come. Yep, Bentley did that, and in the middle of segregated America to boot. There may be one final bizarre touch to the already strange life of Gladys Bentley. She tried to continue her musical career by playing in a number of gay nightspots but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. As times progressed and federal laws continued to change, there became a point where Bentley had to carry special permits to allow her to perform in men's clothing. 0 references. This was long before the gay rights or the civil rights movements, yet Bentley became a darling of the Harlem Renaissance alongside icons like . While in Los Angeles, Bentley was up to her usual tricks in the beginningfrequenting and performing at gay bars and scoping out beautiful new lovers. In shock and disbelief Elvis rushed to the hospital. After a long climb, Bentley had finally made it to the topbut with stardom came scandal. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Whatever her reasons for marrying men, Gladys Bentley sure didnt know how to pick them. Early the next morning at 3:15 AM on August 14, Gladys Presley, the 46-year-old mother of Elvis, died from a heart attack due to hepatitis complications. It did not end well. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Inevitably, even the vaunted Ubangi club closed its doors in 1937, kicking Bentley out along with its regular clientele. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. At the Mad House, the boss was reluctant to give me a chance, Bentley wrote. Cookie Policy She would take popular songs of the day and just put the filthiest lyrics possible. The cause of her death was most likely due to the stress of Elvis' career and the demands of being a single mother. Just days before the Tampa Pro bodybuilding contest in 2017, Sean Harris fell asleep behind the wheel and died in a pretty tragic accident. Today, experts believe that the article and her marriages were not actually true representations of her identity, but rather her attempts to conform to the newly conservative standards of the day so she could survive. In her Ebony tell-all I Am A Woman, Bentley mentions yet another husband, a sailor named Don, who she claims seduced her, turned her straight, and set her on the path to womanhood again. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Get the latest information about timed passes and tips for planning your visit, Search the collection and explore our exhibitions, centers, and digital initiatives, Online resources for educators, students, and families, Engage with us and support the Museum from wherever you are, Find our upcoming and past public and educational programs, Learn more about the Museum and view recent news, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of African American History & Culture. Although Catherine's successor Queen Anne Boleyn suffered an infamously dark fate, Aragon's own life was somehow even more tragic. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. The eldest of four children, Bentley was born on August 12, 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to George L. Bentley from the U.S. and Mary (Mote) Bentley from Trinidad. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. The Harlem Renaissance is really a critical point in the history and evolution of African-Americans in the 20th century, says Dwandalyn Reece, curator of music and performing arts at the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. ", Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use). On August 8, gravely ill, she was taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital. This account has been disabled. "It broke my heart," Elvis Presley said. At the time of her death, she was 53 years old. Bentley moved to Los Angeles to live with her mother. The headline sent shockwaves through America. Elvis' family didn't come from riches or anything of the sort. The details of this courtship, however, areshady. ). There was just one huge problem. Bentley died on March 2 at Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center. And this is JD Doyle with Queer Music Heritage and a special show devoted totally to her. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. In his 1945 autobiography, Langston Hughes described her as, "An amazing exhibition of musical energy." In the summer of 1952, while married to Gipson, Bentley penned an article for Ebony magazine looking back on her stardom and her personal life. I like to believe that Gladys Bentley had her thumb on the pulse of the time. Despite those challenges Bentley likely encountered in New Yorks entertainment business, it is no surprise that she moved to Harlem. No doubt, Gladys Bentley won a fair few beautiful conquests in her day by picking them out of the crowd and mixing business with pleasure. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Performing in a signature white top hat, tuxedo and tails, Bentley sang raunchy songs laced with double-entendres that thrilled and scandalized her audiences. Her beginnings werent humble, though; they were scandalous. Some have argued that her shocking tell-all was, at least partly, Bentleys way of staying relevant. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Jealous of her immense success and the fact shed moved on from his club, Hansberry sued her, claiming she hadnt completed her contract with him. Gladys Bentley loved women, wore men's clothing, and sang bawdy songs that would make sailors blush.and did it openly in the 1920s and 1930s. And that was the least of her revelations. And while the performance of what an observer called a masculine garbed smut-singing entertainer led to the shutdown of Kings Terrace, Bentleys powerful voice, fiery energy on the piano and bold lyrics still made her a star of New York City nightclubs. The creativity that came out of that period shaped music, theater, dance, literature, intellectual thought and scholarship in a way that has shaped who we are today.. Gladys Bentley - Worried Blues (1928) Gladys Bentley and "Worried Blues," from 1928. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. . If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Gladys Bentley came into this world on August 12, 1907 as the eldest child of George Bentley and his wife Mary Mote. This happened even at her star-studded Hollywood shows, which would have the likes of Mary Astor and Barbara Stanwyck watching from the audience. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. In 2016, musician Shirlette Ammons released an album entitled Twilight for Gladys Bentley, that paid tribute to Bentley's legacy and "reimagined" Bentley in relationship to hip hop culture. Table showing information for name claims, including the name itself . Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England.