“I never blamed the Lord ’cause I knew that he musta wanted me this way.”
- Name: The Lady Chablis
- Born: March 11, 1957
- Died: September 8, 2016
- From: Savannah, GA, USA
- Pronouns: She/her
- Contribution/Impact: After being featured as a prominent character in John Berendt’s hit book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994), Chablis gained a lot of exposure, and she even got to play herself in the book’s film adaptation. Chablis was a renowned club and drag performer, performing at various nightclubs and venues, becoming known as The Grand Empress of Savannah.
- Occupation: Author, Actor, Club Performer
- Known For: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), Hiding My Candy (1996)
- Awards: Chablis has won many titles in drag pageantry under the name Brenda Dale Knox including: The Grand Empress of Savannah (1977), Miss Sweetheart International (1989), Empress of Atlanta (1996)
- Interesting Facts: Chablis changed her name to The Lady Chablis legally at the age of 16. Berendt, the author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, met Chablis while she was going home after getting a hormone injection.
The Lady Chablis, aka The Grand Empress or Brenda Dale Knox, was a transgender author, actor, and club performer. Chablis began her career at the age of 15 after meeting Cliff Taylor, who performed as Miss Tina Devore, at the Fox Trot gay bar in Tallahassee. Chablis started off performing at the Prince George Inn while balancing several different jobs. In the 1980s, a job offer from the Friends Lounge led her to move from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. In 1994, Chablis gained public exposure from being a major character in Berendt’s hit book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and starred in the book’s film adaptation as herself. Chablis performed in her “home” club, Club One, from opening day in 1988 until her hospitalization in 2016. In 1996, Chablis published her autobiography book, Hiding My Candy.
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