Griffin Speaks

MY CONNECTION TO PEARL BAILEY

Pearl Bailey was a very popular nightclub singer; she starred in the all-Black version of Hello Dolly! in 1967. This was considered by many critics to be her best-known role. She appeared in this role from 1967 to 1969. She appeared in numerous films, plays and often on television. She was one of my favorite entertainers. She was born on March 29, 1918, and passed on August 7, 1990 at the young age of 72.

She received a formal training in music. She always-told audiences that she credit her love of music to growing up in a “Holy Roller” evangelical church. Pearl’s father was the minister. She had a throaty voice and ad libed frequently during her performances. She had her own show on ABC in 1970. The show lasted until 1971.

She decided to obtain a college degree and graduated from Georgetown University with a theology degree at the age of 67.In 1975, Pearl served her country as a special ambassador to the United Nations. In 1988, Pearl received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

She was a mother of an adopted son and daughter. She was married three times. Pearl’s last marriage to drummer Louis Bellson lasted forty years.

Pearl began her magnificent career performing in amateur shows as a band singer in vaudeville and cabarets where she was widely known as the sister of Bill Bailey. She appeared in the 1946 Broadway musical “St. Louis Woman”. She appeared in the film “Variety Girl”in 1947. She also appeared in the film “Carmen Jones” in 1955 and Porgy and Bess” in 1959. She appeared in “St. Louis Blues” in 1958 and “All the Fine Cannibals” in 1960. She appeared in Truman Capote’s “House of Flowers” in 1955. Pearl was by anyone’s standard a magnificent entertainer.

My phone rang and on the other end was a friend informing me that Pearl Bailey would be visiting the University of Pittsburgh in a few days. I was a first year law student with very little extra time. My days started at six in the morning and ended at one the following morning. I was very disciplined with my study schedule, but wild horses would not keep me from the opportunity to sit in the same room with the legendary Pearl Bailey.

I called my study partner Vince Day and begged him to attend Pearl’s lecture with me. At first Vince was hesitant. He was a Yale graduate and one of the persons that I credit for my success in law school. He was a few years older than I was and I looked up to him. I needed Vince to say it was all right to attend. Vince knew how much it meant to me so he gave in and agreed that we would blow off studying for one night so that I could sit in the room with one of my favorite entertainers.

Vince said, ”Mr. Griffin, this is ridiculous. Pearl Bailey won’t even know that you are in the room. We are wasting our time.” Vince and I arrived early and got front row seats. The room was packed with students and teachers.

When Pearl came to the microphone I was spellbound by her sultry and throaty voice. The first thing she did was look me dead in the eye and asked me to come on stage and get her glasses from the chair that she had been sitting in. I could not believe it. I said to myself this is my big break. I will make her remember me. I rushed on stage and retrieved her glasses from her chair. Instead of handing them to her I went back to my seat with her glasses in my hand. Pearl stared at me and the roof came off the room with laughter. She cracked jokes about the incident for five minutes.

Pearl delivered a great speech. I want to share with you some of the profound thoughts that she shared with us:

A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is so alive. People see God every day, they just don’t recognize him. The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat one’s self. All sin is easy after that. There is a way to look at the past. Don’t hide from it. It will not catch you if you don'’ repeat it. There is a period of life when we swallow knowledge of ourselves and it becomes either good or sour inside. When you’re young, the silliest notions seem the greatest achievements. To talk to someone who does not listen is enough to tense the devil. Everybody wants to do something to help, but nobody wants to be the first. The sweetest joy, the wildest woe is love. You never find yourself until you face the truth.

While I never saw Pearl Bailey again in person, I continued to admire and love her. She was a beautiful and talented person. A person that I was thankful to God to have been given the opportunity to share a memorable moment.

Greg Griffin is a free-lance writer. You can read his previous articles by logging on to his web page at www.greggriffin.com