This story on Cherry Vanilla was written by Thomas R. Kamp

SITTING HERE REMINISCING through reading letters and listening to the talents of David, I feel the warmth of Cherry's words. Memories, the memories we all create.

Living high atop East 86th in NYC, Cherry has given her reviews for my book (David Bowie: The Wild-Eyed Boy). I instantly recall our first visit in the windy city, talking of business, her music and her life.

Born in Woodside, Queens, Cherry always had the initiative to rise above. At the age of 17 she landed her first advertising job with a New York agency and, by 18, she produced her first commercial for Coca-Cola with the McCann-Ericksons Advertising Agency. Feeling disillusioned with not receiving an artistic acclaim, she packed up and hitchhiked her way around Europe in 1969. There she was offered a job on the French Riviera and worked in St. Maxime spinning records at St. Hillaire de la Mor disco. Returning to New York her career went on to spinning more discs at a posh Nwe York French disco, Aux Puces. There she began to write for Circus and Creem. Her first bit of notoriety came while working for Andy Warhol's production PORK. There she met and began working with Leee Black Childers and Wayne (now Jayne) County.

Anyone who has captured the essence of the multi-talented David Bowie is familiar with the connection of Cherry to his career. During the years from 1972-1974 she headlined with Tony DeFries and Jamie Andrews, the company known as Mainman, who represented Bowi, Iggy Pop and Mick Ronson. She wrote, produced and starred in various radio and television commercials and was the designer of the Mainman logo. She is credited with David's rise to fame. She told me of her most treasured moments with David. 'My first meeting and my last. Jayne County, Leee Black Childers and I went to see him perform in a small club in England. It was a really nice show with David on acoustic guitar and also Mick Ronson and Rick Wakeman. Before the show we introduced ourselves from PORK and, when it came time for him to do Andy Warhol onstage he dedicated it to us and had us take a bow.

'When David was playing in Toronto I was in the area doing a television show, 90 Minutes Live. After the taping I went to my hotel room and found that David was in the same hotel. I went up and he answered the door and he invited me in. We spoke of what happened to ourselves since we last saw each other and we istened to what he believed to be his best music, what was to become Low. Then he asked me to be a guest in the next city wherehe paid for my hotel, my food, my expenses.'

In 1974 Cherry compiled a book of poetry called Pop Tart Composition and distributed it through her company, Vanilla Productions. Only 1000 copies were printed and they have become collector's items. In 1975 she started to appear on the New York club circuit. In 1976 she met and fell in love with Louie Lepore who became her guitarist. From July 7-9, 1980 she appeared with Louie at the Grand Finale in their production Cabawave. By 1977 they toured Europe and landed a contract with RCA, [from] which [came] her two albums, Bad Girl and Venus d'Vinyl. Only two singles were produced, both with picture sleeves: The Punk and Moonlight.

1980 became one of her busiest years. She appeared at the first David Bowie convention, was in the March issue of After Dark, performed at and originated 'Girls Night Out' (at the Ritz), appeared on the soap opera Another World and was involved in numerous articles and television performances. She wrote and acted in many plays, including many Tony Ingrassia-directed plays. She was in The Trojan Women and recently White Whore, in which she portrayed Jayne Mansfield.

'Vangelis is my greatest love. I've been writing songs with him and did a speaking part on his See You Later LP, which was never released here in the States. He's doing a soundtrack now for the film Blade Runner. He's the one I enjoy working with most.' Cherry was recently married to the German actor David Balko, who is presently filming a television movie. At the age of 22 he completed two movies in Berlin.

So what is she doing now? 'Right now I'd like to spend some time writing for myself, my play and for some publications. I have stories appearing in High Society, Oui, and Swank. I'm not geared much to do any live shows at the moment, but I'm being considered for a few television spots. I'm writing songs with Hilly Michaels who used to play drums for Sparks and Ian Hunter, for a group of girlfriends known as Pillow. Andrew Hoy, who produced both my albums, is interested in producing their first LP on Polydor.'

A groupie, poet, author, playwright, actress, recording star, publicist - whatever she does, Cherry Vanilla will continue to rise to fame because the truly sensational star will never fall but be born every day.