ABOVE: John Silversmith, aka Nazhoni T. Foxx. (Photos courtesy Bob Taylor)
ORLANDO | Central Florida drag performer Nazhoni Taylor Foxx, who had been battling the coronavirus for the last month, passed away Jan. 15. He was 47.
Foxx, whose real name was John Silversmith, was admitted into the ICU at a Seattle hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 Dec. 21. Foxx was a travelling nurse who had been living in Seattle for the past several months providing at-home care for dialysis patients.
Foxx was originally from New Mexico and came to Orlando in 1990s by way of Miami where he studied as a professional dancer.
“He started coming to the Parliament House doing club kid drag [in 1997],” Bob Taylor, Foxx’s close friend and drag father, says. “I was married to the then general manger and I was also on the cast of the Footlight Players. Nazhoni came in and did a talent show and we saw all the young kids show up. That was something the Parliament House was battling at that time, keeping the young people entertained. We saw an open door to bring in the young kids and hired Nazhoni on the spot, put her on cast and she became one of my kids.”
Foxx was a “natural star” whose performances “commanded people to watch him” as he took the stages of Southern Nights, Firestone, Parliament House and more.
“Every time he would go out there they would beat the walls for him,” Taylor says. “Nazhoni walked and danced to her own beat. She was a club kid/glamour drag queen. There was no such thing at that time. You were either one or the other but Nazhoni was both. She would come out and do club kid drag and then go do a beauty pageant and win.”
Foxx had two drag mothers — his first was Calvin Fairconeture and later Sierrah Foxx, who Nazhoni Taylor Foxx took his stage name from. Sierrah Foxx passed away in April 2020 from health issues not related to COVID-19, according to the Orlando Sentinel. She was 48 years old.
Nazhoni T. Foxx in turn took his knowledge of the drag world and performing and mentored some of Central Florida’s most entertaining queens. Among those who Foxx was drag mother to include Kaija Taylor Adonis, Kitana Gemini, Jordyn Victoria Laos and Blaze Adonis.
“She loved to mentor and be looked up to and asked for guidance,” Taylor says. “She felt it gave her purpose and she loved to help the kids out and loved seeing them do really cool things.”
Tributes poured onto social media after news of Foxx’s passing was made public.
“This is another sad day,” stated local performer and HAOS on Church owner Blue Star on Facebook. “I will never forget sharing stages with you, many after hours conversations, battling out who knew Lil Kim lyrics the best … dear friend you hold a special place in so many hearts. YOU WILL BE MISSED.”
“We lost a legend today,” drag performer Mr. Ms Adrian wrote. “I have so much to say but am completely speechless at the same time. I feel so lucky to have known, worked with and looked up to this incredible person and iconic entertainer.”
“She was THEE Orlando Club Kid,” said entertainer Rob Ward. “Her Thursday night shows at the original Southern Nights were wild, weird, inappropriate as hell, and a damn good time.”
“She defined ‘Club Kid’ and truly owned the stage in a way you had to see to understand,” wrote Nick Smith, founder of Situation Sundays. “‘Fierce’ was an understatement.”
Friends of Foxx set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the family to help offset the cost of sending Foxx back home to New Mexico and other funeral expenses.
“[O]ur Amazing Diva transitioned from this world to go be the Ultimate Angel in the Heavens,” Foxx’s GoFundMe page states. “Let us rally around him and his family in this time of need.” The posting goes on to ask everyone to share photos of Foxx on his Facebook timeline with hashtag #DollazForOurDiva.
Watch Foxx perform to “X-Cuse Me (Sunglasses)” from the Parliament House 40th Anniversary Reunion Show below.
