Hot 'Pepper' to spice up Friday the 13th bash at Club Cafe

Fabulous dance diva Pepper MaShay is probably best known for Billboard charting club hits "Dive in the Pool," "I Got My Pride," and her just-released single, "Does Your Momma Know?" But as makes sense for one of the club world's most beloved stars, her first foray into music came from a very romantic inspiration: love letters.

"I met this man... and I would take his love letters to me and turn them into songs," says MaShay, who eventually married the writing Romeo. She eventually divorced him, too, but MaShay has a way of turning even heartache into success: the same man who inspired her music career at the start of their relationship also inspired her 2007 #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play hit "Lost Yo Mind," which lyrically re-visited their breakup.

Tonight (Friday, Feb. 13), MaShay will swing by Club Cafe on Columbus Ave. to wish a little luck to the gay hotspot's resident DJ Aga during his birthday party. MaShay will not only perform many of her choice hits, but she'll mix and mingle with the crowd, and of course, spread the love. Tomorrow, she'll perform a special Valentine's Day show at Providence's Mirabar.

Bay Windows spoke with Ms. MaShay for the lowdown.

So Pepper, as a writer I have to ask - I hear that before you became a singer, you wanted to be a journalist?

Oh yes. I was a military brat living in Missouri, where they have one of the biggest journalism schools. A lot of the recruiters would come to our high school and I was seriously considering going into that field. Then I met this man, who ended up being my husband but is now my ex. ... I used to take his love letters and turn them into songs and play them on the guitar. When one of the other students heard the songs, they said, "Baby, forget about journalism. Become a singer and write your own music because what you're doing is great!" It changed my life at 18.

Pepper MaShay, fabulous dance diva, plays the guitar?

I'm proud to say as of last week I made my first debut out here in LA, playing the guitar in an acoustic set for the first time in like, 10 to 15 years. It was at the Go Green Expo with the Mamapalooza organization. The response was so great to me. So not only is Pepper MaShay doing dance music, but she's doing blues-folk. But I do that under the name Sister Jean.

Since you started on guitar, how did you wind up moving towards dance music?

You know baby, I started as a background singer doing spots for TV shows... then I was discovered by Billy Davis of 5th Dimension. They sent me to Las Vegas for training and while I was there I did what a lot of people did: work the hotel circuit. I ended up in LA, and in '79 or '80, hooked up with the whole New Wave scene... that turned my head in this whole music thing. In '85 I decided to become another session singer here in Los Angeles, and I started singing for major people like Dianne Warren, Desmond Child... I became their singer. That lasted until 1993, when I was singing backup with Vonda Shephard and this guy from Sweden came to see me. He told me, "You're too good to be singing back up. You need to be singing dance music." He explained to me that being a woman of my color and size I could easily fit into the diva mold. He walked up to me at the end of the gig and said, "You need to check that out. Work with a DJ on your own songs." Within six months I had hooked up with a couple people out of New York and I've been doing mainly dance music and writing my own songs ever since.

Do you ever regret moving into dance music?

It literally saved my life! Because before then I wasn't such a high profile person. No one knew who I was. When I started [dance music] it was like overnight these fans and DJs were getting in touch with me. I would have people walk up to me and say, "Oh my God, I never thought we'd be able to meet up." It totally changed.

I was watching TV around this time last year and I was seeing all these messes: Britney, Lindsay. And you know, older people have a sense of, "Where are your families? Why isn't anyone helping you?"

The song that really announced your arrival in nightclubs is "Dive in the Pool," which has had an extraordinary shelf life. How did that come about?

[DJ/Producer Barry Harris] called me at my job. He told me he had something for me, so I went to this studio and he started playing me the track. It was just jumping out of the speakers! I said, "Where are the lyrics?" He said, "I'm writing them as we're speaking. But I want you to talk this. I want you to personify a big voice." Well, the only thing I could think of is when my mother would call us in for dinner. So I decided to approach it on that level. I started working with him on it, but I thought it was loon! I said, "Barry, I've never heard anything like this. It sounds so novelty!" He said, "Don't worry, it's going to be great." I did the track and four months later I'm in Japan ... getting these e-mails saying, "Girl, you're all over the Billboard chart with 'Dive in the Pool.'" I said, "What? Are you kidding me?"... It was a roller coaster ride. Next thing I know I'm home and being asked everywhere to perform the song. It was another door opening.

You've done session work and backing vocals for huge superstars. Any major moments that really stand out?

I'll never forget the moments working with Tina Turner on What's Love Got to Do With It. ... I actually got to do the movie with her. On the first day I went into a meeting with her and she asked us to sing acapella. She noticed I was probably a little scared, intimidated, and she came up to me and hit me in my stomach, near my diaphragm. She said, "I want you to sing it from here!" We all laughed and it broke the ice. I proceeded to spend a good two to three days with her doing seven of the songs out of the movie. It was amazing to be looking at her. She's such a beautiful woman, and to see her still doing her thing. It makes me humble.

What's your favorite song to perform?

I would have to say "Lost Yo Mind." I have an affinity with that song. Not only was it the breakup of my real marriage, but it was written in less than 20 minutes. One of those situations where you get into your zone, you're on to something and you can't let it go until it's finished. I was married to him for over 20 years, and like in any marriage people change. Sometimes you see yourself in a whole different direction, and he got sick of seeing me struggle in the music business. He wanted a more normal life. ... But we still keep up. It was a really wonderful part of my life. It gave me two little grandchildren!

Your latest single is "Does Your Mamma Know," off your own label Freckle Bandit. What's the song about? And does Mamma really have to know?

It's about, "Does your mama know you're a freak?" That song speaks to me because I was watching TV around this time last year and I was seeing all these messes: Britney, Lindsay. And you know, older people have a sense of, "Where are your families? Why isn't anyone helping you?" I hooked up with DJ Corey D. He sent me up a disco tribute, and I said, "You know what, I like this groove. Let me take this and twist it up a bit." We married the lyrics and music perfectly. It won for best Dance/Electronica category for The USA Songwriting Competition for '08.

What can your fans expect from your Boston show?

Tell them to get ready for shenanigans! The way I do my shows is very spontaneous. I don't derive from a script. It's all about how much love people are projecting out there in the audience. So far, it's been mass mayhem. When I do come into a club it's like seeing an old friend. I share that with the audience. There will be a meet and greet with everyone. I want to rub elbows with people, tell them how beautiful life is when we can all hang with each other, be more respectful and honor each other's differences in this world.

Pepper MaShay will perform at DJ Aga's Birthday Bash on Friday, Feb. 13 at Club Caf? (209 Columbus Ave., Boston). Tickets are $5.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, MaShay will perform at Mirabar (35 Richmond St., Providence, R.I.)

For more info on Pepper MaShay, and to hear her latest single "Does Your Mamma Know?," go to Pepper MaShay