Arias, Joey, 1955-

Joey Arias, born Joseph Arias in 1955 in Fayetteville (N.C.), was six when he and his family moved to Los Angeles (Calif.). He is now an artist based in New York City, best known for work as a performance artist, cabaret singer, and drag artist but also known as a published author, comedian, stage persona and cult-movie star. Arriving in New York in 1976, he become a "chanteuse" and part of Andy Warhol’s circle. Arias eventually got a job at the Fiorucci designer clothing store where he became friends with alternative musician Klaus Nomi, singing backup and designing sets and costumes; they appeared together in 1979 on Saturday Night Live as backup to David Bowie. Upon Nomi's death in 1983, Arias became executor to the Klaus Nomi (Sperber) estate. In 2014, Arias married his long time partner, Scottish artist Juano Diaz.