Billy Lewis was 18 when he walked into a gay bar in Cleveland in 1975. A week later, he was back — with a gown, a wig, and a new name. That night marked the start of what would become five decades of female impersonation as Cathy Craig, now a drag legend in South Florida.

Lewis recalls being too young to be in the bar, but was immediately intrigued by what he saw. 

“I saw these guys up on stage, performing to songs, and I said, ‘What are they doing?’” he said. 

After watching them, he decided he could do it — and returned a week later in full drag. 

“I was an actor in high school,” he said. 

He didn’t start as Cathy or Craig, though. Her first drag name was Lorraine Street, a nod to the road where she lived at the time. 

One of her early mentors told her, “You’re a Cathy.” Later, another performer gave her the last name Craig, inspired by a character on the soap opera “One Life to Live.” 

Craig moved to South Florida in 1982, where her career quickly gained momentum. 

Early on, she made a name for herself at the Copa, the former iconic gay bar in Fort Lauderdale. 

“Tiny Tina said to me, ‘I don’t know why you lesbians enter these talent contests,’” Craig recalled with a chuckle. “I said, ‘I’m not a lesbian. I’m a female impersonator.’” 

The two would go on to become close friends and longtime collaborators, performing together for years across South Florida. 

Craig built a reputation beyond traditional clubs, working the “condo circuit” for years — performing full-scale shows for audiences ranging from a few hundred to several thousand people. 

“I once did a 20-minute stand-up set to open the show,” she recalled. 

She is known for her Lucille Ball impersonations and performances of Jennifer Holliday, but is especially recognized for her rendition of “Lean on Me.” 

One of her longest-running gigs was Monday night drag bingo at Bobby Winn’s restaurant, where she performed for years. More recently, she appeared at Julian’s annual Reverse Quinceañera. 

Like many drag performers of her era, Craig’s work extended far beyond the stage. 

“Everybody was afraid, except for the drag queens,” she said, recalling the early days of the AIDS epidemic. “We weren’t afraid. We would sit all night with our friends — and they didn’t have to be friends. All you needed to be was in need. The drag queens were groundbreaking.” 

In the late 1980s, Craig nearly died after being placed on life support following a severe case of pneumonia. She lost more than 100 pounds, underwent a tracheotomy, and had to relearn how to walk. The drag community rallied around her, raising money and helping her return to work — an experience she credits with keeping her going. 

Melissa St. John, who has known Craig for more than 30 years, said that commitment defined her. 

“She has been instrumental in the LGBTQ community, advocating for many organizations and equal rights unselfishly,” St. John said. “One organization we worked with together was Mother’s Cupboard, feeding and educating individuals living with AIDS. We traveled throughout South Florida with a cast of drag performers and singers, and Cathy graced many stages without question.” 

Throughout her career, Craig has won numerous awards for her female impersonation, including being named Honorary Miss Florida F.I. in 2014. Last year, she was included in OutSFL’s annual Out & Proud list. More recently, she was named a Queen of Queens at the Mizz Out South Florida Pageant alongside St. John. 

In 2022, she was also one of six drag pioneers honored in “I Am What I Am: A Tribute to South Florida’s Drag Pioneers,” a Pride Month exhibit presented by History Fort Lauderdale at Galleria Fort Lauderdale. She was recognized alongside Nikki Adams, Tiffany Arieagus, Daisy Deadpetals, Electra and Latrice Royale, with the exhibit highlighting their impact and a “Wall of Fame” celebrating the broader drag community. 

In recent years, Craig has worked closely with Julian Cavazos of the Wilton Collective. 

“Billy brought a wealth of knowledge in glassware, gold and silver jewelry, artwork, and more — wisdom he generously shared with our youth and team. He has supported our youth events time and again, rallying friends to participate in our Youth Turnabout event, chaperoning our One Magical Weekend trip to Disney, and showing up in countless ways at our fundraisers,” Cavazos said. “He often tells me that joining the Wilton Collective changed his life, but his unwavering loyalty and consistent support have positively impacted countless youth in our community.” 
Today, at 70, Craig is facing some health challenges of her own — but she isn’t stepping away. 

“Hopefully everything will work out, but you can’t stop living your life,” she said. “Whatever energy I have, I’ll continue.” 

Even now, she remains focused on the same mission that has defined her career for decades. 
“We fought our whole lives to gain respect,” she said. “And all it takes is one bad apple in the White House to ruin it for us. We’re fighting the political system. Back then, we were fighting local governments and people in general — just trying to change minds.” 

When Craig says “fight,” she doesn’t mean it theoretically. 

“I had wigs taken off. People jumped out of cars and beat us up. All kinds of things were thrown at us by passing cars,” she said. “We’ve got to keep up the fight for our rights. They’re trying to take away gay marriage now. It took years and years and years to fight for that.” 

Buy tickets to the Mizz OutSFL Pageant here.