Cookie Creations!

Cookie Watkins wanted to be an opera singer, and in a sense she took on all the drama of opera in her career as the world’s foremost Tina Turner tribute artist.

She may be portraying one of the world’s finest entertainers and strongest women but Cookie is a strong woman with an impressive resume too. Cookie’s first portrayal of Tina was on Broadway in the play ‘Beehive’. This performance alerted the world to Cookie’s extraordinary likeness to Ms Turner. Possibly unique among tribute artists Cookie is well known to Tina and endorsed wholeheartedly by the singer. In fact Cookie had demoed for Tina.

It’s been quite an adventure from Las Vegas to New York’s Broadway to Launceston, Tasmania where Cookie brings her Tina Turner tribute act. Friend and Tasmanian, Christine Thomas is almost as excited as Cookie that at last her friend will see the place where she was born.

Talking of which, Cookie tells me in spite of her striking similarity in looks to Tina she is not related. She believes that she and Tina’s shared Cherokee heritage might have something to do with the similarity in appearance It’s not the first time she has had to make this clear, even Tina’s sisters who sat with Cookie at one of their famous sisters concerts couldn’t help asking questions, including if Cookie was from their home of Tennessee to ascertain that Cookie wasn’t a long lost relative!

There is not a lot Cookie needs to do to authenticate her ‘becoming Tina’ apart from the hair extensions and costumes.

So sensational is her portrayal of Tina that she even made the final of a talent contest only losing out in the end to an Elvis tribute artist!

You can see Cookie create Tina at the following date and venue …

Saturday 9th September, 2017 – Country Club Casino, Launceston
Paula Xiberras