Liberace is arguably one of Wisconsin's most famous sons. He was a pianist, singer and television pioneer. At the height of his career, in the 1950s-1970s, he was the highest paid entertainer in the world.
Yet, there's no monument — or even a plaque — dedicated to his memory in his hometown, West Allis. Writer Tom Kertscher researched Liberace's legacy in Wisconsin for his piece in August's Milwaukee Magazine.
"Liberace was really kind of a singular figure in the sense that he be he did a couple of things that no other performer had done to that point back to the '50s," says Kertscher. One of the things that made Liberace unique was his ability to merge classical music with pop music. During performances, he would finish renditions of classical works and then take requests from his audience, which were usually popular songs.
After growing up in West Allis and West Milwaukee, Liberace would have a career unlike anything that was ever seen in the entertainment field before. Kertscher believes that Liberace's sexuality played a factor in his lack of recognition.
"It's not the whole explanation, but it's certainly a big part of it ... the fact that he was a gay man and a flamboyant one at that, the way he dressed the way he carried himself," says Kertscher. "But there's some other factors, too. He did not have a long time partner, a spouse who maybe would have picked up the mantle on this and to create some sort of memorial. He did not have children. And then finally, just passage of time."
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