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First Lady Entertainment
FIRST LADY ENTERTAINMENT
merges with national touring company
for an evening at the Schm tzer. . . .
When critically acclaimed national
playwright producer-director Delilah
Rashell Williams was in the market for
a Local Representative for her upcom­
ing hit stage play “ Somebody Oughta
Tell God Thank You” coming to the
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Friday
January 8 at 8pm one phone call to
KBMS radio let her straight to Dee
BakerofFirst Lady Entertainment “She
was professional and enthusiastic, well
connected and ready to roll” says
Williams who has repeatedly brought
quality sold out shows to the Schnitzer
with some o f the best entertainment in
the country including “Things Aint
What They Use to Be" “Gods Trying
to Tell You Something” and The “Tour
ofl jfe”.,“Her reputation proceeded her
and 1 was honored to be considered as
a representative” injects Baker. Will­
iams’ continued “1 was hesitant be­
cause this business is a high risk busi­
ness at best lending true to all the
adages “don’t count your chickens
before they hatch”, “believe half o f
what you see and none o f what your
hear’’and“talkischeap, ittakes money
to buy land" and the one 1 live by “if a
persons word is no good, neither are
they". W e so far Dee Baker has landed
high marks in all categories delivering
the chickens and the loot to boot and
her word has been as good as gold,
says Williams. “I found her to be
refreshing, a force to be reckoned with,
a lady o f integrity, honesty, drive and
determination worthy o f leading the
e*’*. »
would emerge First Lady Entertain­
An educated woman with d degrees
ment “affordable entertainment with a
in business management this widely
personal touch specializing in personal
versed mother of2 has rightfully earned
care right down to every detail Soon
thetitlea“JillofallTrades”. Acompas-
Dee would be arranging and hosting
sionate person with 2 teenage sons she
weekend outings on a much larger scale
headed a haven for youth and called it
including cruises, lavish parties and
“Hot Friday Nights" a safe environ­
out o f state tours. With big dreams and
ment for teens to congregate and have
limited dollars Dee saw this as achance
fun during the summer. Answering to
to earn free tickets by bringing so many
the beat o f a di ff erent drummer, Dee did
paid patrons to the bargaining table.
not seek to reward troubled teens but
Successfully heading weekend trips
good teens instead. With strict paren­
like Hot Summer Nights Travel; an an­
tal control she enforced a safe and
nual event celebrated in Reno, Nevada
welcome atmosphere with no cursing,
a trip down memory lane as thousands
no smoking, no drugs and no sagging
gather making the annual voyage the
pants, that hundreds o f teens through­
largest o f its kind in the USA complete
out the city enjoyed. Sponsored by
Dee Baker in front o f the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
with “classic cars and the sounds of
Coca-Cola and several local businesses
classic R&Bmusic in 1995 when nearly
including ’ Cafe, American Linen,Cap­
100 people joined her on this exciting
Bahdu to name a few. The first o f its
turing the M om ent photography,
in a class all her own. To keep her
tnp and First Lady Entertainment made
kind it will take place at the Portland’s
KBMS Radio and Lewis Limousine.
clientele informed Dee publishes a
it all worth while. “Fun for them and
Civic Stadium nght here in Portland
“So many people believed in me and
monthly newsletter “First Lady Enter­
work for me” says Dee as she person­
with an estimated attendance o f over
supported my efforts it was imposs ible
tainment Review, with distribution of
ally tended to every last detail from the
10,000.
not to succeed" says Baker, "and for
nearly a thousand containing informa­
plane flights to the charter busses to
Dee says “while I was praying for a
that 1 am forever grateful and forever
tion on upcoming events and address­
the luxurious hotel right down to the
fundraising vehicle to launch this event
committed.”
ing current issues in the community as
tipping o f the bellman and making sure
, when I got up o ff my knees the phone
hall began in 1992 when Dee had the
well. Ifonceam onthistoolongforyou
each clients luggage was physically
rang offering me the opportunity to
job o f collecting the cover charge at the
to wait, you can find F irst Lady Enter-
delivered inside their rooms not hold­
serve as Local Representative for the
door o f a local club at which her boy­
ta in m e n t
on
th e
w eb
at
ing in a hotel closet allowing patrons to
national touring company o f “Some­
friend was a DJ “I liked it said Dee it
lady 1 (acnnw.net .Although Dee is look­
rush o ff the to casinos and began the
body OughtaTell God Thank You" and
was exciting greeting and meeting so
ing forward to “Somebody OughtaTell
fun, combining this with top of the line
believe me I do every day” . But 1 can’t
many different people.” Being an op­
God Thank You”, she is also looking
entertainment like Etta James, Barry
wait till the curtain rises to tell GOD
portunist Dee saw this as not just a fun
beyond it for her largest event to day
White and BB King just to name a few.
Thank You once again because He has
job but a catalyst to network an estab­
“Global Fest 99” a multi-cultural event,
Dee has set a precedent second to
sure
been good to me, God is the driver
lish a business o f her own. Her first
pledging a day o f cultural unity setting
none. When entertaining in Portland at
I’m
just
the passenger” says Dee and
ventures were with her ex-boyfriend
aside “bias” to understand other cul­
her Annual Virgo Birthday Bash, every
its
obvious
she’s enjoying the ride.
whoDeeJayed. He spinned the records
tures; . . . . “W orking together collec­
Virgo
receives
flowers
and
a
custom­
For
more
information about First
and she play ed host and loved doing it.
tively fo r one cause "; celebrating with
ized
song
and
food
for
everyone.
Lady
Entertainment
andbestavailable
The combination was very successful
food/crafts clothing dance and R&B/
Going the extra mile makes all the
seats to “Somebody Oughta Tell God
as people packed the clubs enjoying
Jazz&Gospel entertainment includmg
difference and that’s what First Lady
Thank You” call Dee at (503)285-4009
the music and special touch o f hospi­
the Temptations, Hiroshima, and Erica
Entertainment is all about leaving Dee
tality served up by Dee. From this
effort to support our companies name
“Standing Room Only" greatly assist­
ing us in filling up the Schnitzer once
again.” “I’m not easily impressed”
says Williams from herCalifonuahome
“there are so many shysters in this
business. On my last venture to this
region. 1 trusted a Christian book store
in Seattle and after paying them thou­
sands o f dollars for their work, they in
retumstoleover$5,000!! to say I’m gun
shy is putting it mildly. But one would
have to stop and take notice o f this
phenomenal lady". “She has an awe­
some system" says Baker and I’m proud
to be an implimentor o f what she has
already put in place." The two continue
toexchange flattering compliments and
shared admiration’s o f one another until
Williams says “hey this story is not
about me Dee its about you, so lets
back up and start all over again. ”
So where do we start? Dee Baker
Was the first black woman construc­
tion worker for the city o f Portland and
went on to become a foreman or should
we say forewoman “from a ditch to a
building give me a hammer and watch
me work" says Dee
from the jack
hammer to the dump truck she’s done
it all.
< • <
They Used To Bel" comes the nexr n.v
.
Somebody Oughta Tel
• fiO D Thank You!"
A
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Coming Io lo the
the Arle
Arlene
Coming
Schnitzer Concert Hall
One Show only! Friday, i
January 8,
8 :0 0 P.m.
Tickets available al the
Box otice, .ill
i
lit ketWaster Outlets, One I
Slop Records, I he Best of
All u
Worlds, .«nit
and House
»louse of
oi
Sound.
For group sales and
best available seals
call
Dee Baker
(5 0 3 )2 8 5 -4 0 0 9
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