The jazz pianist Billy Tipton was born in Oklahoma City as Dorothy Tipton, but almost nobody knew the truth until the day he died, in Spokane in 1989. Over a fifty-year performing career, Billy Tipton fooled nearly everyone, including Duke Ellington and Norma Teagarden, five successive "wives" with whom Billy lived as a man, and three children who he "fathered." As Billy Tipton herself said, "Some people might think I'm a freak or a hermaphrodite. I'm not. I'm a normal person. This has been my choice." This jazz-era biography evokes the rich popular-music history of the Great Depression and reads like a detective story.
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Arts & Literature Arts, Music & Photography Biographical Biographies Biographies & History Biography & History Composers & Musicians Entertainers Gay & Lesbian Health, Fitness & Dieting Health, Fitness & Dieting Historical History History & Criticism Humor & Entertainment Jazz Lesbian Music Musical Genres Nonfiction Politics & Social Sciences Psychology & Counseling Self-Help Sex Social Sciences Specific Demographics Specific Groups Transgender WomenI was really excited to read this because the number of biographies of trans people is relatively small. The very first sentence of the preface though sent up huge red flags: "This is the story of a woman named Billy Tipton, a jazz musician who lived as a man from the time she was nineteen until 'he' died at age 74 and was discovered to be female." I couldn't get past that first page because there were just more and more...
5Report
I am always on the lookout for interesting books. I got the recommendation from Bob Dylan's show "Theme Time Radio" and I have to admit that I was a bit sceptical about Tipton's dual role and the attempted coverup and whether this book would end up being a dull one. It was neither, the story was fascinating and apparently true and the writing was vibrant. I came in with few expectations and ended up with no regrets. Enjoy...
3Report
It's safe to say that there is another side to most of us. No matter who you are, or how big or little it is, or how serious. There is something there that we don't tell others. But the lies and deception in this book from the man/woman it comes from, top it all. The book details the life of respected jazz musician, Billy Lee Tipton. A bright, funny, good natured and handsome young man, who wanted nothing more than to play...
1Report
I first heard the Billy Tipton saga on the program "Mysteries and Scandals." I was concerned that the book was going to be handled in the style of the National Enquirer. So I'd like to say, that if you're looking for "the dirt" on Billy Tipton, if you only need to know the sexual aspects in explicit details, then go buy a rag magazine at the checkout counter at Kmart. On the other hand, if you are of a "higher mentality"...
2Report
The shear thought that a woman the public had access to passed as a male jazz musician in the mid 20th century is mind-boggling. Only until Billy Tipton's death was her secret revealed. I found myself racing through this book at every spare moment satisfying my curiousity for how she pulled off her "show". The collection of photographs and memoirs is great.
1Report