Remembering Bubba McNeely: Houston’s One-Man Show and LGBTQ Icon

“He was an amusement park wrapped up in one person,” says Dena Davidson of her longtime friend Bubba McNeely, who passed away on July 11, 2025, at the age of 67. A beloved figure in Houston’s LGBTQ+ community and beyond, McNeely leaves behind countless broken hearts but also a vast legacy of friendships and accomplishments that spans decades.  

Preacher’s Kid

Born in 1958 into a devout Christian household, McNeely’s father was a Pentecostal preacher.  His early years were spent in the Dallas area, until his family moved to Seabrook. 

Longtime friend Shelley Kennedy first met McNeely at a Christian summer youth camp. She remembers that preachers’ kids stuck together and were somewhat of a wild bunch. Her father was just a deacon, but she managed to become a part of the group, and they remained friends for life.

Kennedy says McNeely was a popular kid and showed an early interest in music by recording a gospel album with his sister when he was about 12.  

Working with Jimmy James

In early adulthood, McNeely dabbled in sales, primarily real estate and newspaper advertising, but in 1986, his life changed dramatically. That was the year that he was introduced to female impersonator Jimmy James by his friend Larry Edwards, who had appeared for years in Houston as Hot Chocolate and later moved to Las Vegas where, for decades he has performed his impersonations of Tina Turner and Patti LaBelle.

James—who performed a flawless Marilyn Monroe, as well as voice impressions of Bette Davis, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Nicks, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross, Cher, Eartha Kitt, and more—had secured a performance job in Provincetown, and he needed an emcee/performer for his act. When Edwards introduced him to McNeely, there was an instant chemistry. 

McNeely took on the role of James’ manager, as well as a performer in his shows. As emcee, he introduced James in the Marilyn part of his act, then would entertain the audience while James was changing for the Voices part of his act, where he would appear in an androgynous outfit.

“Together we were a force and we played all the gay clubs around the country,” James remembers. “We were just two kids not knowing what we’re gonna do, but it worked out to be a wonderful symbiotic relationship.” The relationship lasted for nearly 14 years. 

Provincetown proved to be an enormous opportunity for the two. “People came in droves. We were the new kids on the block,” James says. “Originally people came for James’ Marilyn act, but word got around what a full show he and McNeely offered. “We were like gangbusters—always sold out shows.”

In 1987 McNeely got James booked on to the Phil Donahue Show. “After that, the sky cracked open,” James says.   

James also remembers how much McNeely loved drag pageants. “If there was a hole in our schedule, he would hop a flight to do a pageant for practically no money.” 

Bubba’s Uniqueness

Kennedy says that if a person knew McNeely for more than a day, they realized his favorite word was punish.  He used the word to denote success in different ways, but most often when an audience had been entertained well: “You’ve been punished!” 

She says that everyone loved to be “read” by McNeely. What might have sounded like an insult to some was actually a tribute to a friend, filled with love, and people waited for his one-liners.

McNeely was often asked to be a part of the Houston choirs that were organized to perform at large public funerals and other events. 

Kennedy says that McNeely didn’t let his sexual orientation affect his relationship with his church. “He skipped through life,” she says. “I don’t think he got hung up on anything. He was just himself.”

Friends Remember Good Times

Brian Teichman first met McNeely in 1999. “He was the first person I met when I moved to Houston and like he did with so many others, he took a liking to me, took me under his wing and it was just a great friendship until the end,” Teichman says. “He was a frequent dinner guest and a frequent entertainer for my whole family. Friends from California, Colorado, to New York met him and absolutely adored him. He was bigger than life and brought joy and happiness everywhere he went. He never met a stranger.”

Teichman also remembers spending a summer with McNeely in Provincetown, taking in different theaters and piano bars, and performers would give him a shout-out and tell audiences how he had helped them break into the entertainment world. “And he sang ‘Happy Birthday’ at my 50th birthday party,” Teichman recalls.

Rob Rutherford first met McNeely in 2000 at the Guava Lamp bar. “He was introduced to me by a friend,” says Rutherford, “and I thought this guy is just too much. Between the voice and his antics, I thought he must just be wasted, and I’m just seeing a wasted version of this character. And then I met him after, and I’m like, God, he always is like this! We always reference him as a human carnival ride. You get on the ride and you just go with it. It will take you to somewhere fun.”

Rutherford remembers going to Vegas with McNeely and other friends to see Elton John. Larry Edwards was doing the bookings for Caesars, and because he knew McNeely he got them front row seats. Edwards told them that Elton wanted a group of gay guys to get up on stage while he performed “The Bitch is Back.” But once on stage, they all got stage fright and McNeely was the only one who seemed to know what to do.  

Local singer Tye Blue first met McNeely when Blue was working at JR’s and Meteor, hosting shows and karaoke. They got to know each other better when Blue worked with programming at F Bar. “I have this fond memory that he was always there, and he was so supportive and would always come to my shows and bring people to them and pitch people to me that I should be aware of to book and of course he was always spot on. I felt sort of a collaborative kinship between me and him. And he would say to me that I reminded him of him when he used to do that. So we had a mentor-friend relationship.”

Blue also remembers an emotional memory of a time after McNeely nearly died in 2024. “We coined the term Miracle Man. He invited me to sing at a Christmas party—so many people were there and so much a celebration of him and his comeback. It was the first time that I was nervous singing at a Bubba event. I always looked up to him and thought that he had an uncanny ability to light up a room and make everybody feel special.”

“We orbited each other a lot,” says Blue. “I would go to his shows at the restaurants where he would sing in River Oaks, and then he would come to drag shows and my events.”

Larry Edwards first met McNeely in Atlanta when he won Miss Gay America 1979–1980 as Hot Chocolate. McNeely had become a popular pageant host. “Especially final night,” says Edwards. “They always had Bubba because he had such a great personality on the microphone and all the contestants felt comfortable with him, you know, giving the description of the gown or the talent or whatever. Bubba always made the room feel comfortable,” Edwards says.

McNeely recently made plans with Edwards to come to Las Vegas and see the Kelly Clarkson Show. He had his own special room at Edwards’ home. Unfortunately, McNeely passed away before the scheduled visit. 

But in happier times, Edwards remembers an event that McNeely organized to honor him with a lifetime-achievement tribute at Rich’s. Performers were brought in from across the country, and Edwards still remembers that night with great fondness. 

The last time McNeely visited Edwards, he was taken to the Mayfair Club at Bellagio for the evening. They had perfect seats for dinner and could see the fountains pulsing during the color water shows. Edwards then took him to the Flamingo to see the RuPaul Drag Race Live.

Jon Ingle, who performs as Lady Bunny, was producing an annual event called Wigstock, an outdoor drag festival and it was always difficult to raise the money. McNeely suggested charging an entrance fee of $10. Ingle felt that people would feel weird being charged. But McNeely said, “Why don’t you tell them to get out of the way because there’s another community member right behind them with $10 in their hand ready to see an eight-hour show.” And he basically saved the festival.

Ingle laughs that back in earlier days, nearly everything and everyone was called “Miss Thing.” If a mic didn’t work, someone would say, “What’s wrong with Miss Thing?”  

He also remembers that the entertainment scene he and McNeely came from was full of trans people and people of color, long before it became politically popular to feature diversity.

Whenever Ingle visited Houston, McNeely took him to the iconic Cleburne Cafeteria, famous for its huge food portions and oversized desserts.  

A Huge Personality

Kennedy says, “He was a part of all different worlds and leaves behind a massive legacy. He was popular from Montrose to River Oaks. He was a Southern gentleman, respectful of women, a super kind person, and also one of the funniest people in the world.”

Teichman says, “He had a beautiful singing voice—a raspy raconteur. He never did a show that he didn’t include a spiritual song. He always remembered that God was the most important thing in his life. He liked to finish his performances with “That’s What Friends Are For.”

Kennedy continues, “The most unique thing about Bubba is that he was a very religious person. People were drawn to him because his songs would touch them so much and they wanted more of it. Friends from all over the world would call him if they were in trouble, if they needed something, if they needed prayer. They would ask him to add them to his prayer line.” 

 Health Crisis

Kennedy says that McNeely had a genetic heart condition. In 2024, he was put on a ventilator, after being life-flighted to a local hospital. Friends took turns sitting with him, in shifts. During a shift that Kennedy and Dina Jacobs were doing together, the medical staff said McNeely would have to come off the machine. But he needed to be awake. The two called numerous friends of his and put them on speaker, but McNeely did not respond.

It was Houston mayoral election day. Kennedy called candidate John Whitmire and asked if he would talk briefly to McNeely. He came on the speaker and said, “Bubba, this is John Whitmire. You need to wake up now! I need your vote.”  To everyone’s astonishment, McNeely roused. 

Rutherford says that when doctors said last December that McNeely probably had six more months to live, his friends drew close and did all they could to make his remaining time the best that it could be. 

McNeely had recently been approved to move into the LGBTQ facility, the Law Harrington Senior Living Center. But his health issues returned and he was hospitalized again. Kennedy and Davidson were among those at his side when he passed.    

“We have a video of Bubba in his hospital bed planning his funeral, and we may play it at his funeral. He was very upbeat about it. He said who he wanted to sing what songs,” Kennedy says. He told Kennedy that he wanted to sing himself out and be the last singer at the funeral.  

Coping with Loss

“We’re all devastated. He was such a force.” Kennedy says that McNeely’s friends are sticking together in their grief, meeting up as often as they can for meals. “Bubba was life. It’s so hard to accept that he’s gone.”

James says, “Losing Bubba—it’s been like losing a family member—only worse. The magical ringleader is gone.” 

Remembering Bubba

McNeely was scheduled to play at Brennan’s restaurant on Wednesday, July 23, and had sold the place out. The management is opening up a large event room that same night for a memorial party for him, starting at 6:30 pm. Reservations are encouraged.  

On Sunday, July 27, there will be a memorial party and tea dance in McNeely’s honor at Numbers disco from 4 pm to 9 pm, called “The B-Dance.” 

On Monday, July 28, his funeral service, titled “A Grand Finale,” will be held at Champions Community Church, 13111 Bammel North Houston Road at 7:00 pm.

Rutherford smiles when he says that McNeely’s friends call the back-to-back events “The Garden of Good and Evil.” “We will let people figure out which one is which,” he says.