Rosie O’Grady’s ‘Red Hot Mama’ Lamond dies

Wearing a feather headdress and a sparkly gown, Orlando jazz singer Terry Lamond captivated audiences during the 1970s as the original “Red Hot Mama” at Rosie O’Grady's Good Time Emporium on Church Street.

The 95-year-old former entertainer died on Sunday from complications of a stroke, her family said.

Those who knew her best said Lamond’s onstage persona was only part of her identity. They remembered the siren with a wicked sense of humor and as a compassionate person open about her alcoholism — she was sober for 54 years — who helped dozens of people struggling with their sobriety.

“Terry had kind of two lives — she had the music life and she had the recovery life,” her friend Vicki Lewis O’Grady, 65, of Maitland said Tuesday. “Her whole life was about making a difference in other people’s lives, especially people who were still suffering in their alcoholism.”

During her stint at Rosie O’Grady’s, Lamond belted out Dixieland jazz tunes on stage as patrons enjoyed beer for a nickel, peanuts and the bar’s signature cocktail in a souvenir glass — a Flaming Hurricane.

Lamond starred as the “Red Hot Mama” on opening night in 1974. It became an Orlando institution as tourists and locals were drawn by the other live entertainment that included singing bartenders, cancan girls and an eight-piece Dixieland band.

The Toronto-born Lamond also sang gigs on the road with her husband, famed drummer Don Lamond, who once led a swing band at Walt Disney World in the 1970s. They collaborated on one of his albums with a quartet and Terry’s vocals can be heard on one of her favorite songs to perform — “Spring in New York.”

Her son, 75-year-old Pete Furness of New York — from Lamond’s first marriage — said his mother’s booming career separated them for most of his childhood and he was raised by other relatives. But he remembers Lamond used to sing him lullabies when she visited and they reconnected about 20 years ago, remaining close until her death.

“I feel blessed from the fact that even though I don’t have that parental relationship with her, I had a friend relationship with her,” he said. “I could talk about anything with her — she never judged.”

Vicki Sanner remembers Lamond, her friend of 25 years, as a strong confidante who never minced words but always remembered to tell people how much she loved them.

“I think she gave a lot of people joy … as an entertainer but more importantly, helping people to change and better their lives,” said Sanner, 60, of Longwood.

Lamond is survived by her son, two grandchildren, a nephew and Don’s two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A public memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando in Maitland.