Bonus Episode: Ava Cherry Reflects on Her Life as David Bowie's Muse in the Mid '70s ‘Golden Years’

the line, his gold shifted. But when he arrived in America in the spring of fo to mount his budget busting Diamond Dogs Tour, he began to reconnect with the music that had inspired him so long ago. This current tour was an overblown spectacle, weighed down with rigid choreography, strict music cues, and huge sets, not to mention the dark dystopian narrative. Impressive, yes, but all the theatricality didn't

leave a lot of room for genuine emotion. A little David's heart and soul, or in this case, billy soul. David's renewed love of R and B was stoked by his new girlfriend at the time, a striking young model and burgeoning singer named Ava Cherry. They had met at an after party for a Stevie Wonder concert in early

nineteen seventy three and quickly hit it off. As she would later say, the romance had all the hallmarks of a fairy tale strolls in Paris, knights and an elegant castle, fancy dinners, cheering crowds, celebrity friends, and lots of great songs. Sounds almost like a Disney movie, except for the fact that David was still technically married to his wife Banjie. That parts a little different. David fostered Ava's budding musical talent, recording her as part of a soul trio he'd assembled

called the Astronets. The group was short lived, but the sessions are well worth checking out. In return, Ava acted as Bowie's guide for the American R and B scene. Her father had been a musician, and she regaled David with tales of life on the Black Blue circuit in nineteen forties Chicago. She also fulfilled his lifelong dream by bringing him up to Harlem's Apollo Theater to see some of the hottest R and B acts in the country.

As we all know, David's reignited passion for soul led him to Philadelphia to cut the relentlessly Funky Young Americans. The album featured Avid Cherry on backup vocals alongside Robin Clark and a young Luther vandros Ava also joined him on stage as part of the so called Philly Dogs tour in late nineteen seventy four, but she also shared his private life as a girlfriend, loving a side of

David that few would ever get to see. Their relationship wouldn't endure, but she continues to honor David and her music. Last January, she released a funked up version of Bowie's three hit Let's Dance, and this year she joined the Star Started virtual tribute concert, belting out ferocious versions of Young Americans and Fame, just as she did on the

original recordings. In addition to recording a new album of original songs, she's also working on a film about her life with Bowie, which is slated to resume filming this summer. If of It nineteen allows if I spoke to me about her time with David and the memories of music that they shared during those golden years in the mid seventies. I supposed to start take me back to the night you met David Well, I mean, okay, here it is.

You know, I just moved to New York. And the funny thing is that I was I was I was getting a guy who owned a hair salon and I was modeling and I, you know, I never lived in New York before. I was just getting myself together. And my and my friend who owned the UM hair san said, listen for the New York New York Times New York Daily News, would you um, would you mind reaching if we reached your hair blond and short? And uh, I was like no, you know, I was game. You know.

They said we need, we need to bleach your hair really like platinum blond and like a short afro. And I said okay. So I did it, and I was in the in the paper, in the in UM New York Times, and so a lot of people saw that and whatever, and then I got an agent and all this other stuff. So one day my agent comes to me and he has this album and he goes, ab listen, there's this guy named David Bowie and this is his

new record. He's British, and he said he's gonna be here soon performing a radio city, and you know, I just thought you might, you know, like to, you know, listen to his record. Now. I don't know how he got because David wasn't well known here yet, and he's at that he was pretty well known and um in Europe. So I took to I said, okay, I took the record home and I listened to it, and I mean I looked at it the album cover, and I said to myself, wow, he's really he's a good looking guy,

you know, and and I liked it. He's kind of strange and he's kind of friend, you know, and something. I put it on and I listened to start listening to the tracks, and I was just blown away. I was just blown away. It was so different. It was so different. Moon Next Daydream was my favorite on the album with David asked me when he first met me,

which one I liked the best. But I was also, you know, friends with Stevie Wonder at well, I hadn't, I hadn't met David yet, but I was friends with Stevie Wonder and he was in New York doing his show at Carnegie Hall. And so he said, well, you know we're gonna do this show, we need a place to give a party after it. And I was working in this club called Genesis that uh the guy that owned the was was the actually steakhouse, Rocky Ioke. He

owned the Benny Hannas of Tokyo. I don't know if you ever remember those, Yeah, remember Rocky Rocky Ioke was the guy's name. And he owned also a club called Genesis on the East Side. And I worked as a as a cock stow waitress in there. And so I said to Stevie, I said, well, I work in this club called Genesis. I'm sure that let's you give a party in there. It's a nice place to give a party. So they got ahold of the people and the next thing we knew the party was gonna be a Genesis,

So nither party. I show up and you know, I'm dressed, I'm looking fabulous because it was This was right after uh, Stevie's concert and he didn't incredible incredible standing ovation concert at Carnegie Hall. And so I walk in. As I'm walking in, Steve is standing at the door. And Steve has just stev wonder as an incredible thing that he could sometimes know who's there even when he doesn't see them, you know, I'm saying, and if I was walking to us,

he goes with, maybe you smell my perfume. I don't know, he said. He said, is that a Charry? I? How do you know it was me? He goes, I know, I know, right, So started off the night really good. Everybody was in a great movie because, as I said, his concert was stellar. I mean, he just sanging his heart out, you know, that night, and he got a

stand in ovation. And so you know, we're downstairs and everybody's been invited gladys and I think of reading money even there just a lot of more soul artists you know that, you know, but some big names. So I'm standing there. They start singing. So a song comes on and everybody in the rooms just start singing in the room,

whatever the song was. You know, all the great singers are standing there singing like you know, I wasn't really a professional singer yet or anything like that, but I was standing there with them, right, And so everybody's singing and my men and my agent comes up to me, goes, you're nothing to believe who's here? I'm like, who's that guy? David Bowie. What because right this time I played that record about a hundred times and I was like already smitten.

I was in love and he just was just listening to the music and looking at the picture just because it was so different and it was so well done. I was like, oh my god. He goes, I'm gonna go get him and introduced to I was like, oh

my god. I was like freaking out cut of inside, you know, because he brings him over and David's wearing this like a lectric blue suit and he has his hair is really high, it's real ziggy, and he was red really and so he walks up to me because he was this is David Bowie, David, this is Avid Sherry. David says to me, it was a pleasure to meet you, Ava, and it just I was like, oh my god. And he goes, I love your hair, and I said, I

love your soup. So you know, we both had this hair colored thing in common and that I was kind of weird and the black thick with you know, blond blond everro and so anyway, we start talking and and and oh and then they was singing and I was kind of singing in between well started, he goes, you're a singer, and so I said, well, yeah, you know, I mean I wasn't a professional yet, but I wasn't gonna say no. I mean, any anything I think I can do, I'm gonna say yes until you proved me

that I can't do it. Okay, then then I'll be you know, then I can't do it if I can't. But anyway, so we were just you know, then we started talking and he was like, well, you know, I've just done my my first album for America and I'm playing video see this weekend. You know, I'm planning a a tour, a world tour, and I'm gonna be in Japan, and I'm thinking maybe you might be good for this, this this part to do this, he said, you know

the look and everything like that. Now, if you can sing, that's really great, you know, and you know you already be saying a little bit, but he said, you you'll have I said, okay, if you want me to, and I said, he said, I'll have to introduce you to my manager, Tony Freeze. And you know, we had rehearsal tomorrow at our ci A. Can you make the rehearsal and do an audition and I said, yeah. So the next day, I mean our our Cia and the Spiders

were there. That's the first time I met them. Actually, I didn't really hang out with them too much when I first met David. I there was a couple of times, like when we did the nineteen eight four show and all others where I really worked in in Earl's Court and all that, but basically I was I was in the same room with the Spiders. It was great, you know, so anyway you got God was days. I don't know was Storme we did. I sang the manager her and

he goes, yeah, I think she were great for this part. Right. So the next thing I knew, David said to me, okay, listen, you know you're gonna have to um what we had dinner and you know all the other niceties. And of course I was just just fall I was smitten, is all I can tell you. I was submitting. Ah. It was so nice because after we did the audition, he said, well, would you have dinner with me tonight? And I was like, and he said, we'll go see a show or something.

Go and go see a life performance. I think Charlie Mingus was with him. Yeah yeah, and I said yeah. So like got all dressed up and I met him at hotel and he was dressing I was a gentleman, he opened the door, he was he was just he was just the best. And so we had the most wonderful dinner, and then we went to see Charlie Mingus and like, I really wasn't into Charlie Mingus because I didn't. He was kind of abstract for me. But David was really into it, and you know, I got into it.

I just because I love all music. But I just really wasn't familiar with Charlie Mingus when he was telling me about him. So when we we we saw that show, and so he says, um, well you want to come back, and he the Champagne's Hotel and I'm like, yeah, why not. Why not. I'm having a glass, I'm having a good time. So he was like, well, which song did you like the best on on that album? And I said, oh, moon Age day Dream. I love it. I fell in love with it. I'm so in love with that song.

He goes, Okay, that's great, you know, And so anyway, you know, I spent the night there. Of course I spent the night there where else was I gonna go? I mean, just wasn't anything better than that to do. And we had the most wonderful romantic evening and that was how it began. That is a beautiful first day, that is that is a first date for the books. It really. But there was a problem. The tour never

came together. What happened there? The tour that he was telling me how that they wanted me to do got canceled because he got sick. He got the food and and they said, oh, so what happened was is I I He told me he was gonna call me. I have to fill this in. And he said, I'm gonna send you the records that you're that you're gonna learn, I tell you your ticket and everything that. So um uh,

you know, we can get everything going. So I said, oh, yeah, okay, Well I have to go to Chicago and say by to my parents before I go to Europe or anything. So I quit my job in New York. I I

got rid of my apartment. I had everything set up, and I was doing fine, you know, and and and I had the job of Genesis, and then I was modeling and singing too whatever and then uh, I get home after doing all of that, and three days after I was here in Chicago, I get a telegram saying, EVA, so sorry, David became ill and we have to cancel the tour. I was like, oh my god, oh no, no, my whole life here. I am back in Chicago and I had my life on the right track. You know,

how was that? So? I was? I was so depressed for a couple of days. I was trying to figure out what to do. And I had remembered that this guy that was from from Germany, he had a place in the south of France and Monaco, and he had asked me if I wanted to spend the summer hanging

out in Monaco. Now, I didn't really want to be with him, so when he sol when he asked me, I told him no. But when this happened that they sent me that telegram, I called him up and I told him yes because I just saw that it was my only way to get to Europe. I didn't really have the money to go, and it was my only

way to get you know. I heard that he you know, David spent time in France and in London, and whether he was in Francis, So I said yes, and so anyway, he sent me the ticket and the next thing I knew, and I've never been a year before, I was in Marco and I was like, that's the most beautiful, funny place in the world. What the hell are like? Three years so great? I mean, I was loving it, he was. It was really beautiful. And of course he was rich,

this guy, so he was chased being very nice. But I didn't like him like that, you know, I didn't feel romantic, and he was really wanting to be romantic. God, I it's nothing worse than a guy. Was we romantic? But you were You don't want to be romantic with him? So so, but but he was a nice person. I didn't want to I wasn't trying to be mean, but I did see him as a means to an end

and I'm being honest. Um. Anyway, So I was there for a little while and he had a friend, another girl that you know, and it was older and she apparently was wealthy to him. Her grandmother given her another art uh in the south of France, you know, you know, they all hang out together. This was his I suppose maybe was somebody who might have been married to or whatever before or whatever, and they were still friends anyway.

To make them a story short, I was starting to all I could think of was David, you know, and how I just wanted to find him. And and so she she she called me up one day and she said, Eva, listen, I am seeing that you are not liking Hines, like you are not really loving to be with Hines. And I was like, well, I wan don't mean to be anything me I did. I just I just I just want to go to France with something, you know. So she goes, would you feel better if you did not

stay here in the party with him? And and and I she said, my grandmother left me an apartment and you could stay there if you wanted to, for the rest of your time here. And I said okay, So she moved me over there. So I was there one day and I had met this little nice guy and he was having tea with me. Right he comes to the guy that invited me comes to the door and I opened it and this guy isn't there. But we were doing anything even We're just talking, okay. So he goes, Okay,

I can't see that you don't, you know. He wants to be with me, and you want to be with somebody else, so you want to go to Paris. I said, well, I would like to go to Paris. He said, okay. I said, but I need you to give me a thousand francs so because you know, so I can you know, He said, no, I give you the money, just uh

And I said, well where do I go? He goes, you go to to get try to find a hotel in the near the Budleavard Saints your Man and and and then you know, try to go to the the cafe the floor and that's where all the celebrities hang out. That's where everybody hangs out. Here is anybody. So that's what I did. I got, I gave me the money. I took the train and I got in and I checked into this this like all girls, all women's hotel, which was right like about five blocks away from the

boulevards cent Germain, and it was it was nine. He was cleaning and so that was it. And then you know, after about eight months, I started getting kind of because you know, I would be hearing that David was had come to Paris. Some different people are reading it in the music papers or something, but I never you know, you know, it was like maybe one time I read that. And so one day I'm in this bar and I hear them speaking in French, and I hear them saying, oh,

David Bowie. H David Bowie es. So when I heard his name, I've been running down, said excusion one two idea David Bowie. And he said, we I shake a step. So he's across the speed. It's Castell. I'm like I really, I'm like really, he goes, wait. So I'm like, I look cute. I look pretty. But I was not dressed as Castel because it was a very you know, pearls and diamonds kind of a club. I don't care. I

just went running across the street. And he had like a stairwell that was spiral down, and I went inside and I was looking down from a stairwell, looking around. And so David's bodyguards Stewie saw me and he comes and he goes, have why are you doing here? I said, I came to find David. He can't just do me like that. I mean we had such a wonderful time and and and and I just I quit my job.

But I was saying right. He goes, oh my god, the governor is going to freak out race these you called him the governor, the governor, the governor right, And he was really caught me. It was like that he was a gardenist, gup when he sees you, mate, you know that anyway, So he so David was sitting talking to this woman that was dripping in diamonds and pearls. Right, he was talking to her, and so he has my hand. He pulls me up to in front of David. David looking at her and all said. He turns it. He

sees me. He goes, Eva, what are you doing here? And I was like, I came to find you. I came to find you. I didn't want you to leave me. I was, I quit my job and went home. And then you said he was canceled, and he was like, oh wow. He says, I'm really sorry. I got ill. He said, but you came over You came all the way over here just to find me. And I was like yes. He was like, oh wow. So he was talking to her and then to see he sit sit down, I said, now. And the next thing, now he says

something there and then he goes let's go. And that was it. And we walked out and got a limousine, even went to Doeville, which we had the most ro magic evening was soon. Doeville is the studio where he was recording pin ups built in a in a former castle. He took me to a literal castle, I mean, the fairy tale continues. Oh my god, Oh my god. It was a castle that because I've never been in a

seventeenth century castle like that before. You know, you just go on to England and go to and it was it had like you know, fireplaces that were as big as a wall, you know, like that, you know, and they had made it into a recording studio and we spent like a week there. It was heaven. Wow, that was That was how it began. Now what were you do? What did you do when he when he wasn't busy sort of attending to the business of being David Bowie touring and recording and all that. Well, what did you

like to do together? What would how would you like to spend a day or a night out in the town together? What would you love to do together? Oh? Well, we used to we would go and have dinner and we walked by the sin and we would you know, we'd go see other artists perform, you know, like you know, uh, Brian Ferry. He and Brian Ferry were good friends too, and you know, um they were great. We'd go, you know,

whoever would be performing. But basically he just liked to, you know, do because that that wasn't doing a drug time for David, he wasn't he wasn't doing drugs when I met him. He would smoke a little hash or something and drink red wine. So he was always he was so different. He was like so warm, you know, because he wasn't doing those things. And this is like, you know, the first year that I knew him, he wasn't doing drugs, so so I know and so and then of course he loves to make love and that

was that was a favorite of ours. Yeah, no, at what point did you did you know that that Andree was also in the picture? Well too, three I knew it early when I didn't because you let me finish the story about when we were in the hotel and the next morning, I was like when we first met him in New York, and I was so excited and I felt like, wow, I feel like I'm in love and I don't know, I've never really felt like this before. I mean, I really was serious what I said. I

I hadn't because he was so different. And so we're lying there and all of a sudden the phone rings and he answers it, and he said he look and he said okay, okay, So he must have said Angie was downstairs and send her up. So the door knocks, he goes and answers, doing his Angie. He opens the door, and I have a role his role on and so Andie was said, i'd seen you, darling, and he goes, Angie, this is able, cheery. Hello. She kisses me and hugs me. This is you know. I just I just I have

to go back to London tomorrow night. And so I just wanted to stop and say something to before before I went, I'm seeing here like what I'm like. So I didn't say much because I didn't know what to say. This is different. Yeah. So then she goes, okay, I have to go now, I have to go now. She was only there like fifteen minutes, maybe in fifteen minutes, but she was real nice to me and she leaves. So I didn't know how I was gonna say it to him. I said, so, David, why didn't you tell

me you were married? I said, all right, I don't know if I would have been here right now if I if i'd known that, And so he said, he says, oh, no, we have an open marriage. She has a girlfriend and something, she has a boyfriend and you know, and she does what she wants and I do it. I'm like, really, are you serious? He goes, yeah, It's been that way for a couple of years. So by that time I was already hooked. I was already submitting there was nothing I could do. But how it felt, I wasn't gonna

let him go. Listen, Jordan's I didn't know. You know, you're a man. But I'm telling you I wasn't gonna let him go. I said, well, honey, if he says, and she's fine with you know me, you know, being with you, And I said, well, she may not be to myself, I said, you may not'll be fine. After I finished here, but I wanted to ask you about the recording sessions you did with David for the astron Nets. What was he like working with in the studio? Like

I imagine he must have been a real perfectionist. Oh he was, but but but he was, you know, he was a perfectionist. But he was just kind of already know what he really wanted. So he he made it feel comfortable. He made it feel fun, is what I'm saying. He wouldn't it never felt like Oh god, according with this guy was like it was fun. I had a boff and you know he would uh you know, no,

just I mean that's basically it. I mean every anything we worked on, like, you know, we worked on the Asternists, which were all which were meant to be only demos because we hadn't finished them, and he told me we were going to finish them. But then he had this thing with Tony the Freeze, with the whole thing about the money, and so he had to stop producing me and and and it never got finished and Tony went

a hit and released it with just demos. Oh I see, what is there a lesson from him that that that you learned from him during these sessions that sort of sticks with you this to this day. What's something that that he taught you? Musically? Oh my god, he taught me a lot of things, not just musically, but and me taught me to appreciate you know, a lot of things,

you know, classical music, all music. I mean, I I love clastomer music now because I started out with Vivaldi, with him and and and and in films, German expressionism and Andy Warhol and I mean, he taught me a lot of things. I was. I was a savvy, street smart young lady, but he you know, I wasn't. I wasn't an intellectual, but now I am. And so he taught me. You know, he taught me how to you know, work the stage and the lights. You know, when we were on stage together, he go, Okay, I want you

to to come. I want you to go to the stairs. I want you to be at the top and the spot's gonna be on you, and I want you to slowly come down the stairs and then I want you to start to sing blah blah blah. So he just taught He was my mentor, you know, he taught me. You know, it wasn't just a love relationship, which which I mean, I I did love him. He's the He's the first man I really loved like that. And um, but he just taught me, you know, how to how

to handle my stuff like one one time. I remember we were at an Andy Warhol party and and they were drinking, you know, great champagne. I love champagne. And so I was drinking and I was getting a little bit drunk. I had learned how to drink it to a point where I didn't feel drunk yet, but I got a little drunk. And so was the other side of the room and David. I was talking to somebody and then I wasn't talking to me. David walks over to me and he goes, Ava, so listen you you're

a little bit of drawn card ship. And I said, oh, I guess I am. He goes, okay, but you know when the press is looking at you and it's can your pictures? So do you want to be in the in the magazine or the paper tomorrow, you know, looking drunk? And I said no. He goes, well, well I just told you, and you with me, and as I immediately stopped and it never happened again because I just I didn't realize that that the that the press was taking my pictures all the time. If I was near him,

you know what I'm saying. That must have just been the energy shift of walking into a room together. That must have been strange to be on the receiving end of all those flashbulbs and all that. I mean the first it was At first it was kind of strange, but then I got used to it. No, but I'm just saying I didn't he but he was being so honest with me. He wasn't angry with me because I was done. He was just saying, don't do it outside of the house because people to take your picture and

try to make you look bad, you know. And so I appreciated that he did that. He told me that it was. It was and and and when from then on him, whenever we would go out nothing, I would just be you know. So yeah, it was just I just he taught me so many things, Jordan, I can't even just say one, but the music, you know, and we appreciate. He loved soul music, which is why we ended up with the other Americans. And he was like, I want to do a soul record. I love Marvin

Gaye and Rita Franklin and Michael Jackson. And he says, you know, and that was when we started talking about doing a solo album. What was it like going up to the Apollo together and seeing the main ingredient in the spinners. I mean, that must have been incredible. He must have flipped. Well, he because I've seen all those people before. But I'm saying yeah, because I said to him, he goes, well, where do we go? And so we got to go to Apollo, which is where all the

great groups performed. And he said, okay, well I gotta find some people. So somebody attached him to Carlos and and and because Calls was with the main ingredient and and so he sent me on to New York. And then he came like two weeks later, and then we we went to the Apollo. We drove up to the Apollo in the limousine and you know that he had on a red suit with the red hair and I had. We drove up and all these black people were standing on the corn and they go, who's that. I said,

that's David Bowie. He said, David Bowie. I said, David Bowie. He's like, oh, okay, okay, you guys have fun. It was it was just some funny. You know. They no black people did not know David until I started being with him. And you know that they really didn't. They didn't appreciate him until afterwards. Okay, that we did, Young Americans. And so then we went in and we were watchingly. Was Richard Pryor too, was on that bill, The Spinners,

the the Temptations, the main ingredient. And David just enjoyed that show so much. He enjoyed it so much, he was like wow. So then he had already uh, somebody had put him in touch with with with Carlos, I guess. And so that was what happened. And the next thing we knew, Um, David had already decided where we were gonna record, which was a Sigma Sound, and that was where they bought Luther to the studio, and that's where

he met Luca van Dross. Oh well, I mean all those incredible Philly soul records coming from Sigma Sound, I mean that, what were those sessions like with Luther Van Dress and Robin Clark and Carlos Alamar, What were those those sessions like? Those must have been fun? Well? Yeah, they were hard work, though hard work, you know, we we I mean and even though we did have fun doing it. I mean I had I had fun because

I was with David. I mean I was after, but but it was when when we were in the studio, it was hard when David didn't David was about getting the work done, so he wasn't about playing around. We were in there and we were all working real hard, especially on that song, right, that was the hardest song in the world to do Lord and Mercenes. He was sorry, but it was. It was. It was a great experience.

And the funny thing about the Philly sound people is that he had asked those guys to all play on the record and they didn't do it because I think they were kind of scared about him being a white artist and they had always been, um, you know, black artists that they had some stuff with. So he's so but they didn't mind when they said no. He just got his own band together, you know, he was just here,

very independent. Your father was also a musician, and it sounds like David got a lot of sort of style tips from your dad. Like how did they get along? Oh? My dad was like, you know, the coolest dude. He was like, they got along like a house on fire. Please believe me, I I M I. He came to my house, my parents house, and uh for dinner and he saw my dad's I was showing him, like, this is where my dad was in a in he opened.

He was with a band called Benny Laysam Band and they opened for like Comvasie and some other people wherever and and and um. They wore these zooe suits in the in the in the band stand, and so I said, this is my dad's zoos suits. And but if he was like what, so, then I think he tried to jack it on and it looked really cool on him. So he had Freddie to knock off suits that were similar to that guster look. And that's where the word guster came from from me. I'm the one that told

him about the Gowsters in Chicago. They all wore baggy pants and they all were big, you know suits, suits kind of close. And what does the word mean. It's basically like cool dude, Yeah, gowster, you know instead of gangster. I never made that connection. Yeah yeah, so, but I mean they made everybody keeps trying to say talk about that word. He only knew it about that word because

of me. I mean, nobody nobody else knews. And he started changing making songs and you know, the gowster and all that and I was like, okay, whatever, and all the clothes you know that that outfit with you know, the flight suit that was my flight suit, and the shoes he had on. The shoes too, I didn't know the shoes too. He could wear my he could wear my shoes, could leave it. I got a big seat, though, I gotta I wear like nine. But anyway, so yeah, I mean, you know, he really dug my dad, and

my dad dug him. That was a musician, so he was totally into the mentality. You know, one of my great heroes is John Lennon. Tell me about being at the Electric Lady Studios sessions for for Fame and across the universe. I've been that. That was so incredible because you know in the you know, in the museum pieces that you remember David, David Bowie is in all the countries that it was in and everything like that. Oh, the exhibitions, Yeah, yeah, right, I represented here in Chicago.

I didn't know it myself, but in some of the plastic cases that they had David's artifacts in, David had his diary and there was this one page and my friends said, didn't you see didn't you see this about you? And I'm like, what there was maybe two things and that he wrote down about me and his diary. But he said, today I introduced Ava to a beatle. Today. What I say, I couldn't believe it. It was just

one page. Then they took it out and they put it in the in the click case, and he said, today I introduced Ava to a beatle, and we're going to do We're gonna work on a song called Fame. And that was that was how I'm sorry. Wow, David doesn't strike me as somebody who's easily star struck, but I imagine that it's hard not to be around with John Lennon. Oh no, no, so then, but we were in Alexi, late Land, waiting for him, right, We're all set up and everything. He goes, he turns around to me.

He goes, wow, I wonder if he's He says, I'm so excited to be gentleman. He goes, I wonder if he wears those granny glasses all the time. And so I don't know, you know, the doorbell rings, the door opens, and there's John with the granny glasses on. It was like unbelievable. David turns around me and looked he goes, oh, he's got on right. So then John comes in David, right, you know, they were talking like that and everything, and he was like, it's a pleasure to work because he

made that's a pleasure and pleasure. So then they started they were talking and whatever, and John was jamming on the twelve string and he was playing across the universe. It was so beautiful. He was playing. You know, you know, I'm really enjoying itself today. You know, there's not a lot of sessions I love or enjoy, and I'm really enjoying myself today. And David just looked and said, oh, really, yeah,

that is so great. Then Yoko comes in with a great big tray sushi and said that but lunch, and she puts it down and she leaves. And I understood exactly why they didn't like her. It was because she was women's lived and I didn't I didn't know what until I met her. She was like women's rights, women being treated equally. And that was what how John treated her. He treats her like a fleet and so that was that was what happened there. But it was it was And so then h and when you know the tha

thaa hey, did that part right there. David tells me go in there and just keep saying ba ba babying thing ba baby. I said, why he goes, just do it. So I went in and I and I did it. And that's what they ended up with here between his voice and and and John's and mine mixed together. That is an incredible trio. That's gotta be fun being part

of that trio. Oh, it was so much fun. It was so it was so and like I said, I didn't know why he asked me to do it because I didn't have never heard of them doing it like that, but it was so that was great and and and then then after we finished doing the session, we went back to the Dakota and he had dinner with them, you know, and uh, and we just sat up all night and and we just had the best time with with Yoko and John. John always seemed like he had

an incredible sense of humor. He must have that must have made you leave, would make you laugh and stuff. He would just it was really hysterical. And uh. And and she had like this this this herbal room, you know, because in the Dakota it's like nine huge rooms, like in a big house in a mansion, and they had like, well maybe at nine, but at least six big rooms. And she had one room where she did her art and and everything like that in one room where she had her her plants and her herbs and all of

that other stuff. And she was real sweet. It's real sweet. I know that David hung out with Mick quite a bit Mick Jagger during this period. What was their relationship like? Was it a rivalry? Was it a friendship? Was that all the It wasn't It wasn't a rivalry. It was those two tough guys, two guys that are hot during the same period, two different kind of genres because David was Glham rock and Nick was like, you know the honkey talk blues, you know rocker, you know what I'm saying, um,

And and they were they were. They admired one another, They admired what one another did, and so we used to hang out together and go out to dinner together and party together and all that other stuff, and they became good friends. One of my favorite songs from from Young Americans Can You Hear Me, which I believe David wrote for you, What is what is it like that David didn't can you hear me? From me? He? Can

you hear me? He were way back, was Lulu. But but I mean, I don't know whether he did or not. He never told me did. I'm just saying that when I was first with him, he wrote it, and then Lulu sang it, and I I didn't know. Sometimes David would write songs he wouldn't tell the person if it was about them or not. You know what I'm saying. But it would be like the songs that would be about me would be like stay, stay, It's what I had to stay or do something. What I never stay

is stay this time. I meant you so bad because when we held, because you could never really tell when somebody wants something you want to so it was about me wanting to be a superstar too. I did and and and that was one song stay. And there was the other song, Golden Years. Listen to the words don't let me hear you say? Lives taking You know where angel In walked luck and you looked in time always walked tall at fine because he walked in and I and reattached to each other. And from then on he

was trying to help me. And he saw you know, and so you know, and I was that I was young and I was super young, you know, and he was that. So there's a there's a there's a lot of things like that. Those two songs Scolden Years and Stay that must bring back when you hear them, just so many memories and well, I can't imagine what that's like to hear a song that that, that's that enormous and know, oh, that's that's about me. I'm a part of that. How is that? You know? I know, I

know he did. But he used to make me feel sad east Man me feel sad and tearful. But now now I you know, I just enjoyed it. I know that it was about me. I hope you feel proud. Oh I feel proud. I do, I do. I I mean, I know because when when David and I broke up, it wasn't because of anything liked be cheating on him or him cheating on me, or me doing something wrong.

It was because of the business and may Men was all messed up and they and the money was all crazy and he didn't know where his money was and all that. So he just wanted to break from everybody anything that seemed response that he had to be responsible for instand. And so I stayed in love with him for so long because I knew I didn't do anything wrong for us to break up. It wasn't It was just a purple stance. And and you know, I mean I was loyal to him to the end. To me,

I was, you know. And I think a lot of the people that were around him they hated that I was with him, that I was there so long, because I think they thought, as I think Angie thought that I was just gonna be like, you know, a couple of months and I was gonna be a flash in the pan. But I told you she made a mistake when she did that. Was that seems like such a difficult period, I mean in Los Angeles in ninety five, when when you were living with Claudia Jennings, and that

seems like such a dark period. I mean, just what was it a business and money issues? Was it just the people? He was? It was business the money issues? Because when when I when when he had to go to l A. He said to me, you know, leaving to morrow Fair, l A. And you know, the guy had got me an apartment. May Man got me an apartment, but it was just I was by myself. I would have been by myself, and you know, I was really

so truthfully, I don't know. I was always getting into these magical situations where something was saved me from to older disaster. And I was crying and I the phone rang and I answered it and it was my girlfriend Claudia, and she said, hey, but I mean, I'm in New York. What are you doing there? Let's see you. I was

crying and says, why are you crying? You? And I said, well, breaking up with David, and I'm I don't know what to do and he's gonna leave me here and I just feel kind of like I don't know what to do with myself. And she goes, well why, I said, well, he's going through some money problems and things. She said, you stay right there til I get there. So she came over and he didn't know who she was because

I never talked about her. The doorbell ring, she comes in and she was just really ballsy, you know, white girl that just was like a playmate that you know, all the man had a fucking drop dead body and everything like that, but she would think like a man. I mean, she would do business like a man. She was really like, you know, she was just a tough broad, you know what I'm saying. And all the men loved

her because she was beautiful, but she had brains. And so she she comes in, she goes, she walks over to him and she I said, this is my girlfriend, Clay and David he goes, hello, she goes. She didn't even give him the nicety. She said, why are you Are you gonna leave able here by herself and you're gonna go somewhere else? And after all this time you've been together, and you know, and what does she do? She does something wrong and she started talking for me.

So he's looking at her like, who is this bitch? Yeah? But the truth of the matter me is that he was respecting her because he knew that what she was saying was right. He was, well, I can't go into explain you right now, but you know, I gotta go tomorrow. And so she goes, okay, well I'm taking her with me. I'm taking order to Jamaica, a new we go to Barbados and then we're gonna go back to l A. No, she had said to l A Y. So he just said okay like that. So we said our goodbyes and

she said pack your things. I packed my stuff and she just whisked me off and that was it. I don't know what happened to the apartment they got for me, because I never went. I just went with her. And she saved me, because she saved me all kinds of ways. She saved me mentally because I would have been like destroyed mentally, like what am I gonna do with myself now?

And and she saved me that she took me to, like, you know, because she was really good friends with Chris black But who owned Diving Island Records, and he was in love with her, so we wouldn't stayed with Chris and everything for a while, and we had a ball. Then we ended up back in l A. This is where she lived, and she lived up to Wonderland and so we're there and I had I had told David's lawyer, Um, Michael, who's Michael's last name? Yeah, Michael Littman. You know, you

know what I do. You don't remember Michael Littman. And I called him when I got to l A with her, and I said, Michael, listen, can you please a Stavid to call me, please tell him that I'd love to talk to him. And so he goes, I'll tell him. So he did, and he was a full moon that night. I remember the phone raings and so she answers it and she goes, oh hey, okay, she answer me me. He goes, hello, Johnny said David, you know. He goes,

what are you doing here? I said, well, we went through the islands, and then you know, she caught he lives here. He goes, she lives here? And I said, he she's she lives with Laura Kenyon. He goes, that's where I am. He goes, I'll be down there in ten minutes. I said, okay, So I told her. I said, he said he was coming down. She's that's okay. It was a cool bit. It was really it's really cool. My god, she got she died. She died really young.

She died when she was like your thirty one. She's in a car accident, a really bad car accent on on Pacifical Sideway. But anyway, uh yeah, she has her Her life was brief. But anyway, so the doorbell rings. It's David, and I'm so happy to see him. I mean, my eyes. I know, my eyes looked like I was happy because I was. I just missed him so much, and so, you know, we hugged, and so I looked down and I see he has two suitcases, and that's the David, why have you got your suitcases? He goes,

I'm gonna stay with you guys for a while. I'm like, this isn't my house. That's where it got. I said, this isn't my house, you know, And so Claudia standing there, I said, Claudia, she goes, that's okay, that's okay, I'll work out something. I mean, this is how she was talking. She wasn't she was a phased or upset about any of it. She was actually intrigued by him because she knew who he was. So she was intrigued. So she was like, she was an adventurous girl and she like

the adventure. So the next thing we knew, he spent the night there, and because her boyfriend lived there, Bobby Hart, who was who made the monkey, Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, Bobby boys that was I mean, Bobby Hart, that was her boyfriend man. And so anyway, so the next day she comes, she goes, listen to donning. I fixed it I wish. I asked Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner could borrow their apartment for about two months and there and there in Europe. So they said yes. So it had

like a two bedroom apartment and uh conda. So we went there and we stayed there for about a month and a half something like that, all three of you, or just you and David, No, all three of us. She had her own her own room and we had ours. Yeah, and you know, that still didn't save us, because he was going through still his mental things about what had

happened to him. Plus he was, you know, there was you know, he was being plagued by all these um people, Alistair Crawley people and people that he was feeling like things, you know, accult things are going on and all that other stuff that kind of in that vibe by that time. Yeah, it seemed like he was dealing with a lot of

personal demons at that time. Yeah. Yeah, and I and I was, and we had you know, we it was like I knew to myself, I said, well, this is probably it, because I could see that he was still very much affected by this what was going on, and it was it was super emotional to him. So you know, that was one of the last times we sawed each other. We started each other couple more times, and he advinted Marilyn and Rose House and he invited me there. Oh wow,

what what was that like at Maryland's house? It was? It was it was beautiful. It was kind of creepy because I was like, is this Maryland's house something? Really? I mean it was a beautiful house, so at nice pool and everything. And so I think we were I think we were good until Claudia decided she was like dating Ronnie Wood and they invited her. They invited us to man talk when they were doing the Steal Drums

tour rehearsing. So she asked me if I wanted to go, and I and I said yes because Ronnie said bring Ava. So because Ronnie was a friend of ours and David used to were allays staying out together. So we got there, and you know, Mick and I and and David had all hung out together before, so Mick knew me real well, right, and and we we got there and so apparently Mick

had gotten into an accident. He fell through a glass and and cut his arms, so he had his arm in a sling and so we were all they were rehearsing, and so it was all laughing and having a good time. And now El said, Nick walked in and he saw me and he was like, oh wow, ab able do it, And so he was making a lot study short. At the end of the night, I ended up hanging out with Mick because I knew Mick like that, you know, And so in my group of Claudia and she was saying, Weroni.

And but some kind of way, David heard about it, and I think that was the last straw that was That was the thing that made him, that made us break up, because even though I've never done anything there, I mean, never ever done any um betrayed him with

any other man, you know when we were together. I think it was when because things were so sensitive, and my thing about Mick was that he was a friend and I needed somebody to reach out to that new David jame Stone I saying, yeah, I needed I needed, Yes, I needed that emotional that we had all hung out together and laughed and had a good time and I felt comfortable with being around Mick. But you know, David didn't see it like that. So you know, when I tried to call him. I tried call him and I

called me a man. I said, can you please as David to call me? And so one of the girls said, he's he's mad at you, And I said, what because because he heard you up in line talk with with Mick with the Stones. And I said, oh, And there was really nothing I could say because it was what it was. And but I still loved him. The only reason that I reached out to, you know, is because I we were all friends and he was such a

cool guy. But I also just felt emotionally kind of good with him, you know what I'm saying, And so um, and I was just desperate to be around anybody that we were together, that we have been together with somebody, and and and so you know, I guess I didn't really realize that, you know, that he would be jealous, that you know of that, And but I guess I guess that's that's a feather in my cap that he would be because a lot of men might not have been you know what I'm saying. I guess I guess

I guess I must have missed something. So, you know, but like I said, I still I still carried on loving him for such a long time after that. Do you remember the last time you were in touch with David, either in person or on the phone. Oh no, A long time, long long. By the time I tried to reach out to him, like, uh, he was already and he has already been diagnosed with cancer. I think it was in chemo he was. They weren't letting him, giving

him his emails or sending him his emails or whatever. Um, I just I just the last time I saw him was when he and Aman got engaged, an Iman, who I knew before they were together, but I didn't know that they were dating each other. And I don't know even if they were dating each other during that time. It was just just it just so happened that, you know, um, we were a friend of mine had invited me to their engagement party, and so I was, you know, I got all dressed up, and I think I looked fabulous,

and of course she looked fabulous, she always does. And she walks over to me and she says, Aba, look at the engagement ring Dave David gave me. So I said, I said that that's really wonderful. Eman. I hope you too will be very happy. And I mean I didn't see. I wish that they would be happy, but I felt hurt inside. I did. I actually admit I felt. Wow. You know it was I mean, it was it was time. I mean it was it was. It was a while

after me that he started dating her. And I guess this in my heart, I never I didn't think he was gonna be with another black girl. That's all I'm saying. But you know, then then then the then the Billboard came out with an article that said, before there was Iman, there was Ava Cherry. And that's right, because Emon always says that she knows David Jones. I didn't really know David Jones. I knew David Bowie really yeah, I mean

I didn't David Jones. She he showed his David Jones side when he stopped doing drugs and everything and that, but he I saw David Bowie. I mean, I was there with you know, some of the most prolific stuff, early prolifics, prolifics stuff. But I just you know, but I mean, you know, I understand that people can you know,

I believe he loves me. I certainly loved him, and I believe he loved me he showed me, and whenever we took pictures together, he always looked at me as though he loved me in the ways that he treated me. But you know, you could love him more than one person in a lifetime, and he found someone else that he loved dearly and deeply and I and I was

glad that he did. I was glad. I was glad that those times of you know, the drug stuff and in the emotional feelings about things going on with gone, and that he found someone that you could feel, you know, you know, calm with and and and and love and love him back. I never saw it as something, you know, and any kind of of frond to me. I saw it as that that phase that was with him, he loved me, and then he went into another phase. And that's and I mean, I've loved I've loved more than

one person something him. So I'm just saying that that's what happens, you know, And I was glad that he was, you know, well and happy and and all of that. Is there one memory for you that's sort of like a snapshot that for you encapsulates your time together. One that's that's really one of your favorite moments together. I would I would have to say when I first met him that night in the club, and and and and in Doville, because we were like it was in Doville.

It was like being in this incredible castle with and just it was all about love and being together and being warm and then doing the music too. But it was it felt so right. I would have to say, do Ville was one of the most beautiful times in my life. And you keep them alive in your music. You recently released an amazing cover of of Let's Dance, and you've covered a few of his songs too, an Age Daydream in life on Mars. Uh, what are you working on now? I know you have an album do

out soon. Well, now, I just you know, during the summer, I had a song out called Testified Love. That's that's that's out there, which I think is a great song, and and I wrote it and and produced it and and uh in my Soul came like about a couple of months ago. Uh. And right now we're working on a film about my life with him. So we were we you know, the COVID is slowed down. We were gonna start shooting in last March, but then the COVID slowed everything down. So we're still working on that, and

it's gonna be brilliant. I'm just I mean, it's gonna be it's just gonna be good. It's gonna be the truth. It's gonna be to something like a fairy tale, because it certainly was to me. I I never knew anybody that had those experiences like I did. I felt like a princess. I did the Black Princess, and you know,

they and you know, my fans. He started them calling me black Barbararella because when that we did the nineteen eight floor, so they had me wearing these real futuristic outfits and so I was like, Jane, Yeah, so they called me black, but I have a fan club. They had my fan club black Barbara, and so he would call me black Barbaralla. He would go, okay, he was the clever girl, black Barbararella. I just thought. But that was his favorite thing with me, who's the clever girl?

If I would do something because I was always trying to do things and would make him say, wow, you do that, or and whenever I do something amazing, who's the clever girl, Black Barbarella. You mentioned learning a lot from David. What do you think he learned from you?

What was your impact on me? Think? You know, I contributed a lot to this fop culture, and I think that also what I contributed to David was his his making him feel less vulnerable to people, because we would sometimes get out of limousine and people kids with Russell go hey even and he would he would he would like, he would like, you know, jump back like he was, you know, maybe be afraid. And I said, daven don't be afraid. These your fans, they love you, they love you.

And he started seeing that when people would come up to him, he wouldn't he wouldn't recoil. He would and even said that to me, you make me feel good when I'm around other people. And you know, I just think that that's what he saw in me. He saw that I was a good person. I was. I didn't have a mean bone in my body. I've run into people that I've talked to new over the years and I said, what was I like? Because I can't remember his thing? He said, Eva, And I mean, I'm not

stroking myself. You were so sweet and so nice. You never really mean to anybody. You were always anybody that you know want to speak to David or talk to you know, you were always just sweet and I and that made me feel good because I never thought I was a bit of any kind, and I never tried

to be, you know, I never did. I felt lots of daggers in my back blow a lot, you know, from a lot of people that didn't want me around because they thought I had too much influence over Davia, you know, and that that bothered me because I never tried to make any enemies or anything that but it was just the nature of the beast that being around someone like David, who everybody wants and everybody wanted to be around, and everybody wanted to sleep with, everybody wanted

to work with, everybody, you know, not baggage just must have been so tough to deal with when you just you just wanted it to be you two, and sometimes I'm sure you wanted to just go and walk down the banks of the Saint or go to have a dinner together at a restaurant and not in the back room, and just be like normal, a normal couple in love. Yes, and we were, and we had those opportunities to do just that, you know, because a lot of the the musicians.

You know, they weren't really on the social you know David. David loved and respected all his musicians, but you know, his private life he kept pretty private. And it wasn't about you know, having you know, dinner with the whole band or anything like that or whatever. Like I mean, you know, he did it, but he did not. It was not if he was with someone that he wanted to be with, like a woman or whatever. No, that it was more you know, he could do things, but

he wanted to be with that person that he was with. Um. But like I said, he taught me so so many things about just you know, how to just how to how to to be in the rock world and just and flourished and be okay and be and and you know, my mom is always staying to me, if you died tomorrow, you've done more than a whole lot, You've done their whole lifetime. And like, yeah, yeah, I guess maybe that could be true, and maybe that could be true. That could be true. Off the Record is a production of

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