Thanks to Kevin for posting news on the Cher Yahoo group that long-time Cher tour and album back-up singer Patty D’Arcy (married name Jones) has died. You can read the story in the New Jersey Herald.
Cher toured so long with Believe and her Farewell tour, that fans became very attached to her bandmates, as much as they would have to television co-stars on her variety shows.
I have two strong memories of Patty, although she was practically ubiquitous in modern Cher concerts:
1. Whisking past us late one after-concert night. My friend and I were loitering on an MGM casino bench, exhausted from trying to make our way through the labyrinth of that casino to its gargantuan garage when she walked by in street clothes. She looked professional and busy, as if she was just a working gal, clocking out and going home.
2. Singing "Shoop Shoop" with Cher on stage. And as you know "Shoop Shoop" is not one of my favorite Cher bits and it just goes to show what a trooper Patty must have been.
It’s also very interesting to me that, according the the NJ Herald, Bette Midler hired Patty as well. It seems Bette and Cher still have a lot in common; they share the same back-up singer and possibly might soon share the same Vegas stage at Caesars (although I’m not packing my suitcase yet; we’ve been here before my fellow fans. Mame anyone?). I wonder if these two kids have made up…or if the infamous "Cher called Bette a nasty word" spat was just a fake feud. Wouldn’t that be funny?
Anyway, enough of that crap. Patty’s passing is really sad news. Our hearts and thoughts are with her friends, family and co-band-mates.
Thank you Patty for shoopin’ us out with your flourishes and harmonies.
Judy, thank you for your post. I’ve corrected the spelling of Darcy. Three and a half years. I can’t believe it. It’s not the same Cher show without her!
Take care.
Her name is Darcy. No apostrophe. It’s Irish, not french. I should know – I’m married to her brother. 3 1/2 years later we still miss her like hell.
I was good friends with patty on high school she was alot of fun and a good friend. I am very sad to find out that she has died.