Title: The fabulous Sylvester
First published: February 10, 2005
Description: A journey back through the music, madness, and unparalleled freedom of an era of change-the '70s-as told through the life of ultra-fabulous superstar Sylvester. 

Imagine a pied piper singing in a dazzling falsetto, wearing glittering sequins, and leading the young people of the nation to San Francisco and on to liberation where nothing was straight-laced or old-fashioned. And everyone, finally, was welcome-to come as themselves. 

This is not a fairy tale. This was real, mighty real, and disco sensation Sylvester was the piper. Joshua Gamson-a Yale-trained pop culture expert-uses him, a boy who would be fabulous, to lead us through the story of the '70s when a new era of change liberated us from conformity and boredom. Gamson captures the exuberant life, feeling, energy, and fun of a generation's wonderful, magical waking up-from the parties to the dancing and music.  

The story begins with a little black boy who started with nothing but a really big voice. We follow him from the Gospel chorus to the glory days in the Castro where a generation shook off its shame as Sylvester sang and began his rise as part of a now-notorious theatrical troup called the Cockettes. Celebrity, sociology, and music history mingle and merge around this endlessly entertaining story of a singer who embodied the freedom, spirit, and flamboyance of a golden moment in American culture.
Subjects: Disco music, History and criticism, Popmusik, Singers, Disco musicians, Biography, Geschichte, Singers, biography, Singers, united states, LGBTQ biography and memoir, Stonewall Book Awards, San Francisco, LGBTQ music, Musicians, biography, Musicians, united states, Music, history and criticism, collection:israel_fishman_non-fiction_award=winner
Places: United States, San Francisco, California, San Francisco (Calif.)
People: Sylvester, Sylvester (1947-1988)