On Wednesday, Texas Entertainer of the Year F.I. announced that Tasha Kohl, who won her Entertainer of the Year crowns in 1991, will be honored with the Texas Entertainer of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award during Texas EOY 2026 held this fall.
“Tasha Kohl is not simply part of the history of Texas Entertainer of the Year. She helped define the standard,” Mark Zorn, State Promoter of Texas Entertainer of the Year F.I. said in today’s press release. “Her talent is undeniable, but her legacy reaches far beyond the stage. For 35 years, she has represented excellence, professionalism, generosity, and a deep commitment to the art form and the people who carry it forward.”
From Texas EOY:
The Tasha Kohl Outstanding Achievement Award will recognize an individual whose dedication, service, leadership and commitment have advanced the Texas Entertainer of the Year organization and the community it serves. Future recipients will reflect the same standard of excellence and devotion that Tasha Kohl has demonstrated throughout her career.
Kohl won the Texas Entertainer of the Year F.I. crown and the National Entertainer of the Year F.I. title in 1991.
Since that title win, Kohl, already established in the drag scene, continued to build a renowned drag legacy through her artistry, professionalism, mentorship and fabulous looks through the years.
To think, at the suggestion of a friend, this all started from an amateur night at Aub’s Mexican Food Restaurant, Steakhouse, Disco and Show Bar in Fort Worth.
“It was a dive,” Kohl told Dallas Voice back in 2020. “Entertainers dressed in the kitchen then walked across the restaurant to where they had cleared out a corner and put down black-and-white tiles to create a “stage” where they performed. There was no DJ, the girls would put 25 cents in the jukebox and perform to whatever songs they had.”
And look at her now.
“Presenting Tasha with the Lifetime Achievement Award is our opportunity to say ‘Thank you’,” Zorn continued. “Establishing the Tasha Kohl Outstanding Achievement Award ensures that her name, her example, and the standard she set will continue to inspire future generations.”
In addition to receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, Kohl’s legacy will be permanently commemorated.
Texas EOY also announced the creation of the Tasha Kohl Outstanding Achievement Award. This new annual honor will be presented for the first time as part of the Texas Entertainer of the Year F.I. 2026 festivities celebrating elegance and entertainment. The competition’s theme is “Opulence” and will bring together entertainers, former titleholders, community leaders and supporters from Texas and beyond.
Texas Entertainer of the Year F.I. 2026 is set for Friday, Sept. 18, at Southside Preservation Hall in Fort Worth. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
For more information or to purchase tickets for September, visit TxEOY.net.
–Rich Lopez