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Gennifer Flowers
interview
by Mary J. Schirmer
Gennifer Flowers has been singing since childhood, a recording artist
even before she was a teen-ager.
Flowers, in her 50s, has been in films and on TV in character roles
and playing herself alongside such notables as Antonio Banderas, Woody
Harrelson, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Howard Stern and
working with directors like Ron Shelton and documentarian D.A. Pennebaker.
Now a jazz and blues cabaret performer with her own piano bar in New
Orleans' French Quarter, Flowers belts out torch songs and naughty
ditties that stop people in their tracks and prompt them to poke their
curious heads through the tall, open windows to watch her.
For a while, the former TV reporter was quite a news topic, what with
the affair with former president Bill Clinton and all, but now she's
a beautiful, blond entrepreneur with bright red lipstick, in a building
once occupied by Verita Thompson, a woman said to have romantic ties
to Humphrey Bogart.
She took time from her busy schedule for an email interview.
1. Your nightclub is called the Gennifer Flowers Kelsto Club. What
does Kelsto mean?
When we bought our building that hosts the Club, I went to the Williams
Center and did research on its history. I found that it was built
in 1839 by Pierre Soliel who built the St. Louis Hotel.
Also, in the info was the fact that “Panama Hattie” had
the Club in the 60’s and 70’s called the Kelsto Club. Her
real name is Mary Kelsto. I thought it would be fun to extend the
history by naming my Club after hers. I later was fortunate to meet
some folks that had actually been regular customers of the Kelsto
in the 60’s, etc., and they raved about how wonderful it was
and how exclusive a Club she ran.
2. Why do people go to bars?
Some bars are an excellent source for socializing and entertainment,
both from patrons and professional performers. Bars can be romantic
and exciting. Bars can be sexy. Bars can provide amusement and are
a great source to “people watch.”
Why do people go to bars…..well, why not??!!
3. New Orleans is one of the best cities in the USA for singers
and musicians. How do you feel about playing and singing in the French
Quarter?
I love having my Club in New Orleans -- in my opinion, one of the
most unique cities in the world. I chose New Orleans, or may I say
it chose me. It got into my soul, and I was no longer content to visit
but had to live here and have my own Club. It has been a blessing!!
Can’t imagine having a Club anywhere else.
4. Your building at 720 St. Louis St. claims brushes with Hollywood
and Broadway. Would you please mention some of those connections?
We have had a few interesting people inhabit this building besides
Panama Hattie. Al Hirt had the Club for a time and Verita Thompson
who claims to have been Humphry Bogart’s mistress in her book
“Bogie and Me." Also, my piano was once owned by Virginia
Hill who was Bugsy Siegel’s girlfriend and was in his home in
L.A. where he was shot. I bought it from a Music Director who was
retiring while we were living in Las Vegas.
5. Can you feel the influences of singers who've worked at the club
or worked in the French Quarter before you?
I absolutely feel the influence of singers and performers both from
New Orleans and elsewhere. I do a Billie Holiday impression and talk
about her background which, as we all know, was very interesting to
say the least.
6. Performing live means working without the safety net that people
in film and TV have to do a retake. Would you have some advice for
live performers?
I made my first record when I was 11 years old and actually started
performing at age 5 at church. Except for my stint as a news reporter,
I have performed before live audiences, which I much prefer to a radio
microphone or a television camera. I like the immediate feedback from
my audience, whether good or bad. I know what material works and what
doesn’t. My own self-made safety net is to be prepared, and know
what I do best, and give my audience what has proven to work. I try
to never do new material until I have rehearsed it several times.
My advice to live performers would be to let the audience love you.
Don’t be in a hurry. Let down your guard. Share something personal
and let them know that you sincerely care about them and appreciate
their time and attention. Most of the time with that “formula,”
you can’t go wrong.
7. How do you read an audience to know what types of songs they'd
like to hear?
I want to please my audience, so I always keep in mind the commercial
aspect of my material. However, it is important that I do material
that I really like and can feel in my soul…that’s when I
can make the delivery and make us all happy!
8. Are American audiences different from audiences in other countries?
Audiences are not stupid, which is a mistake a lot of musicians make
by discounting an audience's ability to really appreciate all types
of music and deliveries.
American audiences are somewhat different than other countries, but
most audiences share the common thread of just wanting to be entertained.
9. You've been in films and videos portraying yourself and other characters.
What qualities in a fiction script would make you want to play a character?
Any script has to capture my attention immediately or I get bored.
Any character that I would want to play would have to be multi-faceted…or
else would seem to me to be boring.
10. Is there a film role you'd like to play?
I would love to have played Elizabeth Taylor’s part in “Cat
on a Hot Tin Roof” or Suzanne Sugarbaker’s role in "Designing
Women." I love the drama and comedy in both roles.
11. Have you done any composing or writing?
I have been writing songs since I was a little girl. I, in fact, wrote
one of the songs on my first record in 1961.
12. Is there anything else about your career as an entertainer
that you'd like to tell the readers?
Gee…..I just want people to know that I have been a singer/performer
as an adult for 34 years. I have made my living with an exception
as a newsreporter (for 1 year) as a professional singer. People come
into my Club and say “oh, my gosh…we didn’t know you
sing!”
It really disheartens me because I have been so dedicated and worked
so hard at my craft for soooooo many years. What matters, however,
is that I am determined to not only survive but thrive and pursue
my passion, which is singing.
My other passion is my husband, Finis (Shelnutt). He is an amazing
man. He sells real estate, and we are getting ready to open our own
R.E. brokerage company called Shelnutt Real Estate Enterprises. Our
office will be at our building in Pirates Alley by the Church (by
Saint Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter).
We are very excited about our new company, and we will both be very
involved. I would liken our love of real estate to my singing career..in
that, it is easy to “sell” what you love. We love the French
Quarter, and I love to sing.
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