The band members were dressed in black, standing by their instruments, when they began to play. The seats were barely filled with spectators when the keyboard player, John Steinrfich, announced, “And now ladies and gentlemen of Bakersfield, give a warm welcome to Proud Mary, a tribute to the legendary Tina Turner.”

As the spectators started to clap, the two backup singers, Jackie Riogie, and Tracy Haroind, danced their way to the two microphones on the far right side of the stage. Two dancers, Cassanora Cariolan and Cristina Raggio, dressed in black jazz dance-style garb, danced their way to center stage.

Last, but not least, Chantel Steinrfich danced her way on to the front of the stage. She wore a red dress that was cut at an angle, revealing her slender legs. She held her shoulders high and to the back, while she mimicked the arm movement of the legendary Tina Turner. On her head, she wore a wig like the one Turner is known for in the ’80s. As she opened her mouth, smiling from ear to ear, she began to sing “Outhouse, church house!” the words of Turner’s song about her hometown, Nutbush.

More spectators began to arrive.

“She drug me over here as soon as she heard Tina,” said Davette Martinez, whose daughter, 8-year-old Matianna Martinez, couldn’t stop dancing.

To the right side of the grassy area was a table filled with dancing spectators. One spectator, Andrew Adams, took off his shirt and waved it in the air.

“I was hot so I could not help it,” said Adams.

After giving some audience members a lesson in how to shake a tail feather, Steinrfich went backstage for a quick change of clothes. When she returned, she was wearing a black shirt with shingles on it and silk black paints. She continued to wow the crowd with her electric performance of Turner’s songs.

“What’s love got to do with it? Everything!” Steinrfich told the crowd.

“We thought it was the Eagles tribute, but this is cool,” said Pixie Corbel, who was visiting the fair with her family and on her way to get a picture of the performers.

“This is the third time I’ve seen you, you’re really good,” were the words spoken by Robert King, who also met the group backstage.

The backup singers and dancers go by the name “The Chics” and Steinrfich’s husband, John, is known as Spike the Nice Ike. They have been doing this show since 1998.

When not dressing up like Turner, Steinrfich works on her own album with her husband at their home in Los Angeles. She describes her personal music as “neo-soul,” or funk. She said she has not met Tina Turner yet, but she said she’s bumped into Turner’s sister, Ilene, twice.