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Lucille Starr Stage Outfit

Not currently on exhibit

Artifact TypeSuit

Manufacturer Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors

Manufacturer LocationNorth Hollywood, California, USA, North America

Date20th Century

The most famous musical clothing designer of all time, Nudie Cohn created outfits for everyone from Elvis Presley to Ronald Reagan. Cohn was the first to incorporate rhinestones into cowboy-inspired clothing and was notorious for his elaborate, sometimes garish embroidery and imagery. This particular dress was custom designed for the French-Canadian country legend Lucille Starr—best known for her 1964 hit “The French Song” and the first Canadian woman to earn a gold record.

Cultural SignificanceAlthough there are a number of musical styles that can be said to correspond with a particular fashion aesthetic, perhaps none is more iconic than that of the Country and Western genres. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, numerous stars of the country western scene, such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, looked to niche tailors to produce customized suits that would set them apart and establish a certain stage presence. The suits were often brightly coloured and elaborately adorned with tassels, sequins, imitation jewels and rhinestones, and intricate embroidery. They also typically consisted of a complete ensemble that included corresponding boots and hat. Arguably the most notable of such tailors was the Ukrainian immigrant Nuta Kotlyarenko (1902 – 1984) who became better known as Nudie Cohn of Hollywood, California. Nudie produced some of the most expensive custom garments, catering both to country superstars as well as high-profile performers in other popular genres, including Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley. Other well-known tailors included Rodeo Ben, Turk of Van Nuys, California, Manuel of Nashville, Tennessee, and Rockmount Ranch Wear of Denver, Colorado.Users/PerformersLucille Starr was born Lucille Raymonde Marie Savoie (later Cunningham) on 13 May 1938 in Saint Boniface, near Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was raised primarily in British Columbia, however, first in Port Coquitlam, near Vancouver, and later in Maillardville, engaging in the local Francophone communities. Savoie was an accomplished musician from an early age, performing on guitar, mandolin, and voice, and sang with the French group, Les Hirondelles, throughout her teenage years. She became known as Lucille Starr from 1954 while performing throughout Vancouver and, in 1956, formed the country duo, The Canadian Sweethearts, with songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler Bob Regan (born Bob Frederickson near Dawson Creek, British Columbia on 13 March 1931, died 5 March 1990 in Los Angeles, California). The two were married in 1958 and relocated to Los Angeles, California, where they worked under the management of Norm Riley of the Riverside Rancho venue and Ditto Records. Following international success as part of the duo until parting ways in 1967, Starr became accomplished as a solo performer and recording artist, releasing throughout the late 1960s and 1970s with labels such as the famed A&M, which was operated by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. The work for which she is best known remains her rendition of Harry Pease and Larry Vincent’s “The French Song”, or “Quand le soleil dit bonjour aux montagnes”, which comprises a mixture of French and English lyrics. With the release of the 1964 album of the same name, Starr became the first Canadian female singer to earn a gold record. Her style is highly unique, characterized by a distinctive vibrato quality and by occasional yodeling, which she often exhibited through appearances on the American television comedy, The Beverly Hillbillies. Starr has also appeared at the Grand Ole Opry and has toured extensively, performing alongside the likes of Hank Snow and Wilf Carter. In the late 1980s, she also briefly hosted Canadian Country Express, which aired on CHRO in Pembroke, Ontario. Among her recognitions include inductions into the Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Honour in 1987 (for which she was the first female to receive such a distinction), the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989, and the Canadian Aboriginal Music Hall of Fame in 2005, as well as a street named in her honour in Port Coquitlam.

Collection

Object numberT.2016.36.01.1-2