Don't let the sunshine and blue skies fool you: It's yet another downcast day in the Mile High City. It's with a heavy heart that we bring you word of Amy Fisher's passing this past weekend. Countless members of the Denver music community know Fisher from her years of working with NIPP at the Bluebird Theater, while still more know her as No-No Nanette, co-host of Pierre's Naughty Burlesque show at Lannies Clocktower Cabaret, or from her most recent stint tending bar at Beatrice and Woodsley. Although there's no word yet on the cause of her death, those who knew her are already mourning this tremendous and tragic loss. Fisher, who was just 33 years old, will be laid to rest this Thursday morning at Colorado Community Church in Aurora (2220 S. Chambers Road), with a memorial to follow that night at 3 Kings Tavern (60 S. Broadway).
Fisher's larger-than-life personality was instantly endearing. It was to me, anyhow, and I suspect I'm not alone. "I want to be in the you business," I told her the last time I saw her. Incredulously, she tilted her head and, with a mischievous smirk, replied, "You want to be in the me business?"
I don't know. Sue me. I heard somebody say that once, and thought it was clever, and the words just came pouring out of my mouth when I saw her. She just had this sparkling personality. You wanted to pinch her cheek. Worried, though, that she may have thought I was trying to come on to her with, admittedly, the worst line in history, I said, "No, not the me business. The you business."
I was being flippant when I jokingly offered to be her manager. You see, I thought Amy was the funniest chick I'd ever met -- and still do. I told her she was a cross between Lisa Lampanelli and Roseanne. She didn't dig the comparison and told me so. But she was. She was just so innately funny and so quick to the quip. I was honestly convinced she should do stand-up or something and that eventually she'd star in her own sitcom. And even though I knew monkeys about comedy, even I recognized that she'd yet to scrape the surface in terms of her talent.
Truth is, I didn't know Amy that well or that long. But like I said, she made an instant impression. The first time I met her was at a good friend's birthday party at Lannie's. She had this magnetic presence on stage that matched her oversized personality -- or so I'd later discover. The next time I ran into her was at my friend Lisa's house, where she regaled us for what seemed like hours with the salacious details of a tryst she had with the drummer from a very well known and respected rock band, and another with another well known performer. Evidently, both men were hopelessly smitten, and it's not hard to see why.
Myself, I don't remember laughing so hard in my life as that night. After that, I always looked forward to running into her. She was quickly becoming one of my favorite people. Needless to say, I'm equally stunned and saddened right now -- clearly so are a great many other folks, judging from the comments on her MySpace page -- to know that's she's gone and that we'll never hear her distinctive laugh again.
What was it Billy Joel once sang, only the good die young? Indeed.
-- Dave Herrera
