Women in Rock Saluting the Pioneers of Women in Rock
If you took a poll of 100 randomly selected people and asked them to name a female rock and roll pioneer no doubt Joan Jett's name would come up. You might get a few Janis Joplins thrown at you and a few folks might even be bold enough to remember Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick. For some reason the term "rock pioneer" conjures images of Jimi Hendrix, Bo Diddley, The Beatles, and a slew of other well-known artists from the 1950s and 60s. Seldom do the women of rock get noticed.
That's changing right now with our salute to women rock pioneers. These are the women who were different, a step ahead of the curb and daring. They did something that the music industry didn't expect when women weren't expected to do anything more than sing a heartfelt ballad. These are the women in rock. And we salute them.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
In the 1930s and 1940s Rosetta Tharpe found her niche in the world of gospel and blues. You might call her the original soul sister. Sister Rosetta's foray into foot-stomping, rock accompaniment, and bouncy up-tempo songs matched with religious and secular lyrics made her a sensation. Artists like Elvis Presey and Jerry Lee Lewis, Isaac Hayes, and Aretha Franklin have identified her as an important influence on them. Even today, modern rock band The Noisettes have given credit to Rosetta with their song "Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit)."
LaVern Baker
Also known as Little Miss Sharecropper, LaVern Baker set the early blues and rock scenes on fire with songs like "Tweedlee Dee," "Bop-Ting-A-Ling," "Play it Fair" and "Jim Dandy." Baker is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the hall named her song "Jim Dandy" as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. If that's not influence, we don't know what is.
Janis Joplin
Everyone knows the raspy, Southern Comfort drenched voice of Janis Joplin. Much has been said about this gone-too-soon singer but every word has been worth it. A member of the 1988 class inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Joplin released blues-laden tunes as a solo artist, with Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Kozmic Blues Band and Full Tilt Boogie. Of course, many argue that her biggest success came with the release of "Pearl." She has been celebrated by artists like The Mamas and the Papas (1971's "Pearl" from "People Like Us"), The Righteous Brothers ("Rock and Roll Heaven"), Joan Baez ("In the Quiet Morning") and Leonard Cohen ("Chelsea Hotel #2"). Her legacy has been celebrated in numerous films, musicals and in the form of the Janis Joplin Memorial in Port Arthur, Texas.
Grace Slick
The lead singer of more than a handful of psychedelic and rock bands for three decades, Grace Slick is one of the most prominent figures in the 1960s known for her witty, acid-tongued, thought-provoking lyrics. And while she lead the way for band The Great Society, Starship, and Jefferson Starship most know Slick for her unmistakable vocals with Jefferson Airplane. Slick pushed the bar with her lyrics with Jefferson Airplane and became one of the few women who could have easily been classified as a hard rocker in the 1960s. She stands out as having earned the distinction of being the (at the time) oldest female vocalist on a Billboard Hot 100 number one single with "We Built This City" (that honor has since been broken by Cher with 1999's "Believe"), a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with Jefferson Airplane), a Grammy award winner, and the distinction of being ranked #20 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.
Chrissie Hynde
Known as a very vocal and active member of the animal rights organization PETA, Chrissie Hynde is perhaps even more well-known as the lead singer of rock group The Pretenders. In the early days of punk and new wave, Hynde stood out as one of the few female bandleaders. Her edginess, punk sensibilities (she gave Sid Vicious his trademark lock necklace), musical vision, lyrical candor, and truthfulness in interviews earned the respect of fans, musicians and critics alike, inspiring multitudes of young women to follow. She has collaborated with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan to Ringo Starr.
Debbie Harry
Aside from a semi-successful solo career, Debbie Harry is the blonde bombshell behind New York's punk/new wave band Blondie. With her two-tone bottle-blonde hair, Debbie Harry quickly became a recognizable icon of punk style. Her look was further popularized by the band's early presence in the music video revolution of the era resulting in the "Blondie is a Group" button campaign of 1979. She boasts five solo albums, eight studio albums with Blondie, and numerous collaborations; Debbie Harry stands out as one of the most influential women in early punk/new wave and set the stage for hundreds of other female artists.
Stevie Nicks
The youngest generation may not know who Stevie Nicks is (ie. From the Disney film "Freaky Friday" Tess: I look like Stevie Nicks. Anna: Who's he?), but there are still many of us who recognize Nicks as a gifted singer, songwriter, and electrifying performer. Between her efforts as the front woman of Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist she has collected over 20 Top 50 hits. One of the few women with enough balls to front a rock band in the 1970s, Nicks is well-known for her ethereal visual style and heavily symbolic lyrics. She's earned seven Grammy nominations, one Grammy Award (with Fleetwood Mac in 1977) and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 with Fleetwood Mac.
Laura Nyro
Chances are right about now you're saying "who?" That's okay. Really. She's the talented songwriter and composer behind many hits from the late 1960s. She penned "Blowing Away" "Wedding Bell Blues," "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Sweet Blindness, "Save the Country," and "Black Patch" for the Fifth Dimension. Nyro was behind "And When I Die," a hit for both Peter Paul & Mary, and Blood Sweet and Tears, "Eli's Coming" for Three Dog Night, and "Stoney End," "Time and Love," and "Hands off the Man (Flim Flam Man)" for Barbara Streisand. And yes, she was behind Carole King and Gerry Goffin's "Up on the Roof." Not bad for an influential woman in rock that you've never heard of.
Maureen "Mo" Tucker
Who was that female drummer who played with mallets rather than sticks, standing up with a drum kit comprised of tom toms, a snare and an upturned bass drum? That was Mo Tucker of The Velvet Underground. Perhaps one of the first female drummers to gain any type of notoriety, Maureen "Mo" Tucker was recruited by the Underground in 1965 when the band's original percussionist Angus Maclise left. She continues to play with the band in her unique style. You could argue that Mo paved the way for every other female drummer from Sheila E. to Torry Castellano.
Patti Smith
No, Patti Smith isn't Patty Smyth, the lead singer behind 80s group Scandal. We're talking about the Godmother of Punk rock Patti Smith who integrated the beat poetry style with three-chord rock. Best known for her hit song "Because of the Night" (penned with help from Bruce Springsteen), Smith has influenced numerous artists including R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, Shirley Manson of Garbage, rock band Sonic Youth, and even KT Turnstall. Talk about range.
