Actress, singer, speaker, producer, director, and TV host Quinn Lemley stars in the critically acclaimed show “Rita Hayworth – The Heat is On! A Life in Concert.” And now, in the last month, Tribeca Records’ announced its latest signing of the New York-based performer who has made her mark developing this long standing tribute to classic red- haired actress Hayworth. Her album, “Remembering Rita Hayworth,” includes 16 songs from The Great American Songbook which was the playlist of Hayworth’s life.

Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918 – May 14, 1987) achieved fame in the 1940s as one of the top stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She appeared in a total of 61 films across 37 years. The press coined the term “The Love Goddess” to describe Hayworth after she became the most glamorous screen idol of the ’40s and the top pin-up girl for GIs during World War II. The album is a 90-minute concert based on her life — 20 hit songs from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The story unfolds with Hayworth’s rise to fame, her resilience surviving in a man’s world, and then her ultimate battle with Alzheimer’s.

Besides this, more honors have been flowing Lemley’s way with her being nominated as Best Vocalist for the 2024 Broadway World Cabaret Awards. She has also announced the release of the Quinn Lemley Ready To Wear Collection by Berek which debuted in December. As Lemley says, “It’s clothing that makes women shine as the stars they are.”

And on the heels of all this, Lemley will make her presence felt at this year’s APAP conference held at New York’s midtown Hilton Hotel, January 10-14th. There she will recall her comprehensive career and be available to discuss all the shows she will be in and/or produce — such as “The Ultimate Queen Celebration,” “REBEL REBEL The Many Lives of David Bowie,” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Wall.”

As she’s been preparing to be there in midtown, Lemley took the time to do this interview in order to pass on her experience to those she has met and will likely meet at the Hilton this week.

Q: How do you prepare for APAP? What’s the first thing that comes to mind? What do you decide to do and how do you do that?

Quinn Lemley: First, you need to become a member, then decide if you are going to have a booth, if you’re going to showcase, and if so, create the marketing materials needed for your booth and showcase. It’s important not only to have your showcase listings with APAP but, also, to market separately. I put together my team, my musicians, and people to work the booth and to promote. If it’s the first-time attending APAP, it’s best to go, meet people, and experience the conference and showcases to see what’s out there in the market.

A regular public performance is very different from an APAP showcase. If you’re showcasing, you get 15 minutes to give a taste of what the audience will experience. You want to be in a great room at a good time when people will see you. We showcased “Rita Hayworth – The Heat is On!” with a quartet last year. That was wonderful. I was in a two-year residency at Don’t Tell Mama; we were in the flow.

Our team was together. It was natural to do the showcase. This year I wanted to showcase again, but the timing wasn’t right. In late February, I’m releasing a new album which I’d love for you to review! I worked with producer, Jonathan Brielle, at his fabulous recording studio and the great vocalist, Marilyn Maye, on the album.

We just signed with Tribeca Records and – now to be nominated for Best Vocalist in 2024 for Broadway World Cabaret Awards – I’m so excited. The album is performed with an 11-piece big band of the Great American Songbook that was the soundtrack of Rita’s life: “Quinn Lemley, Remembering Rita Hayworth.”

I do have a booth this year. #202 Rhinelander.

APAP is perfect for artists self-representing themselves. I’m not a solo artist. I’m now running my late husband Paul Horton’s company, Century Artist Management Agency (CAMA), so I’m repping multiple shows that we created together.

Q: Tell the story about Paul, your late husband.

Quinn Lemley: Paul Horton passed away a year and a half ago. He was a regular at APAP and introduced me to it. He represented all kinds of people like Chuck Berry, The O’Jays, and a lot of R & B artists. He had a strong vision. When he created CAMA, he built the career of Cary Hoffman with “My Sinatra” that toured and went off-Broadway.

I was singing in jazz clubs and small theaters at the time and wanted to tour. I asked the Universe, “I’m looking for a great manager and if it’s not too late can you also find me my soul mate?” I wasn’t asking for it to be rolled into one person, it just happened that way. It was wonderful to be able to work, create, and tour together. We produced “Rita Hayworth – The Heat is On! and “Burlesque to Broadway.” We played clubs, performing arts centers and casinos. Venues like The Kravis Center (West Palm Beach) Tilles Center (Long Island), River Rock Casino (Vancouver). Now, I’m representing all of CAMA’s shows.

Q: Those shows were initially created by Paul. How did you get involved?

Quinn Lemley: No, we did them together. He said, “Produce these shows with me.” I’m good at putting things together. We were a great team. It’s about having great talent. The bands are amazing. “Ultimate Queen Celebration” (UQC) is out touring. Audiences are loving it and on their feet. All year, I’ve been performing “Rita Hayworth – The Heat is On!” Now that the album is coming out in February, we’ll be performing it again.

Q: Those seem like two contrasting things. Doing “Rita Hayworth – The Heat IsOn!” which is Big Band oriented is more of a look backwards to an earlier style, a little bit nostalgic. Even though Queen, Pink Floyd and David Bowie are not contemporary, in the sense that they’re classic rock. But rock doesn’t age in the same way that big band music does.

Quinn Lemley: They’re different animals. But they are both classics in their own way. I’m attracted to classic, timeless music whether it’s UQC or Big Band.

For the Ultimate Queen Celebration, audiences are dancing by the end of the first act. They are up, they’re in it, and it’s a concert. It’s a tribute. It’s all about the music and presenting the best musical experience. Queen, Bowie, and of course, Pink Floyd is the soundtrack of our lives from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. “Rita Hayworth – The Heat is On!” with a Big Band is a theatrical concert offering a message of women’s empowerment, resilience and The Great American Songbook. Different experiences, but great entertainment.

Q: You find they don’t overlap much?

Quinn Lemley: They do overlap, because it’s in that genre of ’70s, ’80s rock. But they’re just different. Queen is the new Sinatra for all of us. Still timeless and classic.

Q: In an interesting way, they do overlap because they all did big shows with elaborate designs and sets that reflected each individual song.

Quinn Lemley: Especially Bowie with “Scary Monsters.”

Q: Bowie did that, and those tours were unique and distinct. Pink Floyd, of course, did it with the Wall and all that sort of thing. And of course Queen, in fact, all three of them had very operatic styles in various ways.

Quinn Lemley: In ways, “REBEL REBEL The Many Lives of David Bowie” and Pink Floyd: they’re theatrical but are still tributes. For example, I have three Bowies –Ziggy

Stardust, The Thin White Duke, and the Iconic Bowie representing the stages and styles in Bowie’s career. I never ask the artists to be an imitation. It’s all about the music celebrating his style creating an experience.

We had a choreographer work with the singers physically to use his movements and gestures, but not as a recreation or imitation. It’s about the music. It’s theatrical but it’s still a tribute concert.

Q: Were any of these shows visited by any of the members of those bands? Have you ever made an effort, just out of curiosity?

Quinn Lemley: With The Ultimate Queen Celebration, all of my artists have worked with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen. Yvan Pedneault was in both “Queen Extravaganza” and “We Will Rock You.” And MiG Ayesa starred in “We Will Rock You.” They’re both endorsed by Brian [May] and Roger of Queen.

Q: When you have guitarists as distinct as say Brian May or David Gilmore, it must be hard to find a guitarist that can do what they do.

Quinn Lemley: Of course, nobody can do what they do, but I make sure that I get the best that I can get. I have Angus Clark who shares the guitarist role, and he’s one of the guitarists in the Trans Siberian Orchestra now. My drummer is Jules Radino, who’s in Blue Oyster Cult. So for a tribute show, I’m offering the audience an amazing experience performance-wise and sonically.

This music needs to be experienced viscerally. It’s about the musicianship and the vocals are beautiful. I’m not asking them to sound like Freddie. Both Yvan Pedneault and MiG Ayesa have great voices and give thrilling performances in their way.

Q: Have you brought these to New York yet?

Quinn Lemley: Not yet. Albany, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Atlantic City, yes, Long Island. We’ve sold out at The Suffolk Theater on Long Island. It’s a fantastic theater. He is a fantastic presenter with a lot of vision.

Q: Where would you bring it to New York? In Manhattan, I mean? 

Quinn Lemley: Maybe Town Hall.

Q: What about Sony Music Hall? You know that one?

Quinn Lemley: Yeah, that’s a good idea.

Q: In any case, bringing this back around to APAP now, when you do this show at APAP, are you mainly focusing on yourself or focusing on these shows as well? Is this as much a part of the booth this year? Last year it was less the emphasis and more of the emphasis on your showcase.

Quinn Lemley: I’m focused on all the shows. Getting them out there. Partnering with both presenters and agents. With the album coming out, “Quinn Lemley: Remembering Rita Hayworth,” we need to tour again. It’s Big Band, the Great American Songbook – a powerful story and a cause.

We’ve partnered with the Johnny Mercer Foundation on the album. It’s a 501(c)(3), and half the proceeds bring the “Accentuate the Positive Program” to inner city kids K -12, to teach them the power of songwriting and collaboration through music. Music programs helped me as a child, so it’s the perfect way to give back and help kids today that desperately need the arts.

Q: Do you have a relationship with Rita Hayworth’s family or any of that community?

Quinn Lemley: I have a lot of people that have proximity to Princess Yasmin, Rita’s daughter with Aly Khan. Rebecca Wells is no longer here, sadly. I’m trying to get her attention. I hope she knows about the show. She’s responsible for starting
the Alzheimer’s Association, which has helped so many families struggling with Alzheimer’s. Rita Hayworth was the first celebrity to be diagnosed.

Our show has done benefit performances for satellite chapters of the Alzheimer’s Foundation, but I would love for her to experience the show. It’s a loving tribute to her mother, Rita Hayworth, and the power and the gift that she gave the world. Her resilience is inspiring.

Q: How will you promote these at APAP? What do you have ready for it? Who do you focus on trying to connect with? I know at one time you told me that you had several different people who booked you and booked some of your shows besides yourself.

Quinn Lemley: I work with and want to work with other agents. It’s hard to be a self- represented artist. Paul, my husband, was my agent, manager, and producer. And I was the artist. I’ve been going to APAP for many years with him.

His uncle was Ronald Wilford, president of Columbia Artists Management (CAMI) so he knew everyone! Since I have the new responsibility of representing my shows as well as the shows that we created together, I’m acting as producer, agent, and artist for all the shows in one capacity or the other.

So it’s about networking, and connecting with presenters, agents, and other artists. Share what we are doing and hopefully, if it’s a fit, we can work together.

Q: Is that a different place than the one we were at last year?

Quinn Lemley: Yes. We’ll be on the first floor, Booth #202, in Rhinelander this year, We’ll be the welcome committee!

Q: With APAP, you’ve seen it change so what things would you like to strategize?

You’re talking about which booth is the best, and the timing for your showcase. How do get people to come to the showcase versus having them come to the booth? How has APAP changed? You’re one of the people who’s a real APAP veteran. I’ve spoken to a lot of newcomers, but not somebody with such roots.

Quinn Lemley: I still don’t know how to navigate. It’s very different being an artist than being an artist and having to represent oneself and shows. The conference is bigger than it seems on so many levels If you want to be “in the game,” you have to “play the game” like Queen says! It’s about making contacts and meeting people, having relationships and going to these conferences to connect and learn.

Q: What is the first thing you think of doing? Walk me through Quinn Lemley’s process.

Quinn Lemley: The staff is amazing at APAP and they’re very helpful. It’s important to reach out and ask questions if you don’t know or need help. Once you register, you start getting the list of attendees. You have to make people aware of what you are doing, where you are and then stand out.

Presenters need content, and we have great content for their audiences. It’s a perfect place for people to meet. But where the conference comes alive is “You never know who’s standing next to you.” It could be somebody in the elevator or at a showcase.

Q: That’s what inspired this story, because I saw you working through the process. I’m curious to see what you learned from last year. What are you improving for this year? What did you learn from previous years that you were able to employ?

Quinn Lemley: Last year, I did two showcases at The Hilton and I signed up for everything. With Paul’s passing, I didn’t know what to do. So I was saying yes to everything. It was natural for me to showcase last year because I was in a residency with the show, won The Bistro Award, and got great reviews. I also did the full show off- site on Sunday. I did a Friday night and Saturday night in the hotel. I would say for people who are going to showcase, it’s best to showcase in the hotel. But for me, it was great also to be able to offer the entire show as an experience at a venue.

The biggest lesson I learned is to not be shy and to connect. It’s a mindset. It’s so easy to get intimidated or overwhelmed. We’re all in this business together and play different parts to bring the magic of live performance to audiences. The arts change lives.

For more info go to:www.QuinnLemley.com or www.CAMATalent.com