Cher tribute show coming to Cedar Rapids

Not much has happened by accident during Cher's unparalleled career. The iconic vocalist/actress became an extraordinary success in television, music and film courtesy of her undeniable talent — but also due to strategy.

However, Lisa McClowry's turn as a Cher tribute artist was not planned.

“I fell into this by accident,” McClowry said while calling from her Chicago home. “I was doing a show that featured ’80s recording artists in 2015. Cher was one of my characters.”

After a set in which McClowry nailed Madonna and Journey's Steve Perry, a member of the audience was compelled to tell McClowry that she should just focus on Cher.

“I was told that I sound just like Cher and I look like Cher, and did I ever think about being a Cher tribute artist,” McClowry said. “I wasn’t familiar with singers who just paid tribute to one artist at that time.”

The following week McClowry cut some videos as Cher and sent them to agencies, and within a month she was part of a Legends show in Las Vegas.

“I’ve been doing this for so long, but I still feel like I’m just putting my toe in the Cher pool,” McClowry said. “This has been a great acting job. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy it.”

  Buy Photo

McClowry, 55, who will bring her “Beat Goes on Show” to the Paramount on Jan. 25, loves the reaction the Cher favorites receive.

“It’s just the best when I sing ‘Believe’ and ‘If I Could Turn Back Time.’ The same goes for ‘The Beat Goes On.’ The audience just enjoys it so much. I don’t blame them. I’m a Cher fan, too. I love her songs. It’s a joy to sing them.”

McClowry has only experienced Cher live once.

“We were performing just down the street from each other in Las Vegas,” McClowry said. “I was at the Flamingo and Cher was at the MGM back in 2017. She was amazing. I was blown away.”

There’s been no word from the Cher camp about McClowry’s “The Beat Goes On” show.

“I’m not expecting to hear from Cher, but I would love to meet her,” McClowry said. “I would like to thank her for giving me a great career that I never dreamed of having. But if we never meet I’m fine, since I’m content with being a fan of the only woman to have number one singles in seven different decades. It’s a pleasure to perform her songs.”

The only downside for McClowry is that she has little time to focus on her original music.

“I’ve always been about my songs, but I just don’t have the chance to write or record my own music these days,” McClowry said. “This show demands a lot of my time and energy, but I'm not complaining. It’s been an incredible experience and I have no regrets about it. Right now I’m packing to fly to Mexico so I can do a private party as Cher. I’ve played all over the place like Australia. I’ve had the long engagements in Las Vegas. It’s fun to do the Cher show.”

The most difficult part of the gig was learning to speak like Cher.

“It’s one thing to sing Cher songs, but to talk in her manner was something I had to work on,” McClowry said. “I had to get Cher’s way of speaking down, as well as her mannerisms.”

And then, consider the Cher costumes. McClowry had a “Spinal Tap” moment during one show when her shoe was stuck in her costume. The only way she could pull it out was by lying on the floor while singing.

“It was the heel that got wedged in,” McClowrly said. “Things happen, but I made it work out. You do what you have to do.”

The beat goes on.