still looking for sondra prill
tommyShortly after I wrote about the found clips of early 90’s Tampa public access Superstar Sondra Prill, I got a call from Trib reporter Greg Williams. He wanted to know if I had any luck in locating the musical wonder. I had not, but being the good reporter that Greg is, he chased the story relentlessly. He dug up everything he could find about Sondra, and the article came out early this month. And Greg Williams was rewarded for his efforts.
The Cult Of Sondra made it into the top five of the Tampa Tribune’s Most Viewed stories in February 2007. Greg did so much work, TBO was compelled to create keyword Sondra with links to all her you tube videos, plus some bonus features, including Daniel Ruth’s 1992 review of Prill’s Opus Magnum, “Sultry Sondra: A Musical Fantasy,” and scan it as a pdf file. From Williams article:
On Friday, Oct. 16, 1992, Prill, then 22, took her act to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. She rented theater space for a live performance of “Sultry Sondra: A Musical Fantasy,” billed as a charity event to benefit relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Andrew.
And from Ruth’s review (pdf):
Ticket prices for her show ranged up to $50, a testimony to a rather intriguing assessment of her talents considering recent (and slightly better known) TBPAC performers such as Al Green and Patti LaBelle charged a maximum ticket price of $25.
Of course Green and LaBelle lack Sultry Sondra’s unique way of handling a melody — a cross between the dulcet sound of setting one’s hair on fire and sticking one’s hand into a garbage disposal.
The unfortunate part is that Sondra remains elusive. Googling her name shows over 10,000 hits, and yes, there is the Wikipedia entry (based soley on Greg’s column, but still) and the Official Web Shrine of the Sultry Sondra Prill. But either Sondra is internet-free, hasn’t searched her own name, disappeared, or in the worst possible case, no longer wants to be in the public eye, and hopes for the entire thing to go away.
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February 28th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Thanks for the mention, Tommy.
I’ve heard from quite a few people since the Sondra Prill story was published - many just wondering what had become of her, and quite a few offering tips on how to find her.
Unfortunately, the tips were generally based on outdated information that’s still hanging around on the Web. By exploring some different avenues, though, I’ve managed to learn a bit more about her post-public access days - and I’m hopeful that she may yet give me a call, to tell her side of the story.
By the way, the syndicated “Mancow” radio program did a segment about Sondra (around the same time the Wikipedia article was posted), Cracked.com has given her some virtual ink, and other media outlets have expressed an interest in her story, as well.
Greg Williams
February 28th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Do we even know if Sondra Prill was her real name?
February 28th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
She’s gotta be deceased. Otherwise you just know she’d be putting her new stuff on YouTube. I’d loved to have seen her take on “Sexy Back.”
March 1st, 2007 at 11:41 am
Everyones on myspace
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=135074753
March 1st, 2007 at 12:14 pm
… or, more accurately, everyone’s NAME is on MySpace.
If you don’t believe me, just ask Donald Rumsfeld - http://www.myspace.com/donaldrumsfeld - or Fred Flintstone - http://www.myspace.com/fredflintstone - or Jesus of Nazareth - http://www.myspace.com/jesusofnazareth.
March 1st, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Sorry, I messed up that last link. It’s http://www.myspace.com/jesusofnazareth
Hope Jesus will forgive me.
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Careful with those Jesus comments, you might be terminated.
March 3rd, 2007 at 10:51 am
please please please find Sondra…I am beside myself wanting to know what happened…
March 9th, 2007 at 4:59 am
Sondra - I KNOW you are out there reading this - please, PLEASE sweetheart come forward and end the mystery, for me and the thousands of new fans. Old friends, and new ones just want to know how you are, what you are doing today, and how you look back on your days as a public access STAR! It’s time to come forward and end the mystery! We love you!
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:53 pm
My friends despair when I mention her name as she’s become a minor obsession of mine, so much so that she features in a new show I’m doing (premièring in London 17 June).
Can anyone upload more clips from her three ‘My Show’ public access shows to youtube?
The world should know of the wonderful genius that is Sondra Prill!