Rachel Humphreys

Rachel Humphreys was muse and lover to musician Lou Reed.[1] Their relationship has been described as seminal. Humphreys inspired lyrics, songs and artwork by Reed and accompanied him on tour during the mid-1970s.[2]

Rachel Humphreys
Portrait of Rachel Humphreys featured on the back cover of Lou Reed's 1974 album, Sally Can't Dance, in illustration by David Edward Byrd. Humphreys is depicted reflected in Reed's sunglasses.
Born(1952-10-18)October 18, 1952
DiedJanuary 20, 1990(1990-01-20) (aged 37)
Manhattan, New York, United States
Burial placePotter's Field, Hart Island, New York, United States

Humphreys was raised in Bridgeton, New Jersey and San Antonio, Texas. She was a trans woman[3] and reportedly of part Mexican Native descent.[4] She and Reed met at a nightclub in Greenwich Village in New York; Reed was instantly attracted to her.[3] Their relationship lasted from 1973 to 1977 and they lived together as a couple for a time.[5]

Humphrey and Reed's relationship is not well documented, but Humphreys is widely recognised as being the inspiration for the songs on the album Coney Island Baby. [5] Together, they explored the boundaries of gender roles. Humphreys used both male and female pronouns at different times and both Reed and Humphreys enjoyed wearing each other’s clothes.[4] Humphreys's role in Reed's life is subject to continuing interest from music and popular culture journalists.[6][4]

Humphreys died of AIDS in 1990 at age 37[7] at St. Clare's Hospital, New York City.[4]

References
  1. "Rachel: Lou Reed's transsexual muse". DangerousMinds. 2013-02-06. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  2. "Out On Display #17: Lou Reed • V&A Blog". V&A Blog. 2015-05-06. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  3. "Rachel Humphreys, the transgender woman and Lou Reed's muse". 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  4. "A Gender Variance Who's Who: Rachel Humphreys (1952 - 1990) hairdresser, muse to Lou Reed". A Gender Variance Who's Who. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  5. Simakovsky, Rob. "New York Series: Lou Reed "Coney Island Baby" - NYS Music". Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  6. "Rachel Humphries & Lou Reed - About A Girl (podcast)". Listen Notes. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "Lou Reed's 'live-in boyfriend' Rachel Humphreys died of AIDS". canoe. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.