Houston Bernard
By Linnea Sheldon
June 2005 - Entertainer and activist Houston Bernard never hesitates
to acknowledge where he comes from. Born in Oklahoma, he grew up on a
farm there before moving to Alaska and eventually arriving in Worcester
at the age of 12. Houston attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and
went on to graduate from Worcester State College. He also served in the
Army National Guard for a number of years. “Worcester is really
an amazing place to live,” he said. “It’s the center
of New England and it’s always stepping forward.”
Always the performer, Houston was voted Most Talented in his high school
class. He explained that he has taken a lot of what he learned growing
up here with him on the road. “Worcester is a very industrial town,
and living here made me a fighter,” he said. “I worked as
a mover to get through college and I was always fighting to be myself
and to move forward.” Houston is currently touring North America
and Europe, promoting gay rights and free speech through his performances.
“People get my music on a lot of different levels,” he explained.
“When people are fighting for rights, the more extreme you are the
more attention you get. The reaction I have received has ranged from people
trying to rip my clothes off on stage to having a glass broken over my
head.”
Houston plays all different styles of music and has performed in a variety
of venues. He’s primarily a rapper, known for more than a little
bit of raunch in his lyrics and a whole lot of funk in his beats. “It’s
a mixed reaction everywhere I go,” he reports. “In the gay
community, just like in the straight community, it’s mixed, but
the general consensus is positive.”
His performances are aimed at increasing the awareness and opening the
minds of his audience members, getting the message out there that all
people are created equal. “When it comes to gay rights, it’s
not about whether you believe people should be gay or whether you even
like gay people,” he explained. “We live in America, a free
country, we are here for religious rights and religion should have no
part in the gay rights debate.”
As far as Houston’s own sexuality, he reveals, “I like the
idea of not having to be straight/gay/bi, etc. because I’m getting
open sexuality into the minds of people. I’m traveling all over
bringing this to people, and it’s quite revolutionary. No one else
is doing this. I’m working to open minds.” Hearing about some
of his on-stage antics, some of which are explicit, it certainly does
sound as though he’s developed a unique method of bringing serious
topics to light while not skimping onentertainment value.
Since Houston’s mother still resides in Worcester, the entertainer
often comes home to visit. “I’m very in touch with what’s
going on in Worcester,” he said. “It’s a big part of
where I came from.” His producer, Cav Gamble, is also from Worcester.
The two met while attending St. Mary’s and have been friends ever
since, sharing a close connection to the city. “The city is really
an integral part of the gay rights movement,” he said. So between
a familial connection to the city and a connection based on what Worcester
is doing to promote a cause important to Houston, it stands to reason
that “It would be a shame for me {Houston} not to do a show in Worcester.”
Houston is scheduled to perform at Rage (105 Water Street, the Canal District,
Worcester) on Sunday, July 3. Doors open at 7 p.m. “I’m looking
forward to it,” he said. “It’s like a homecoming. Things
are changing so much in Worcester
and it’s really amazing to see all the stuff that’s going
on.”
For more information on Houston Bernard, check out www.houstonbernard.com.
For more information on this event, visit the Rage website at www.rage-worcester.com.
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