The Uncrowned Queens of Rock and Roll: Issue 1
From Elvis to Sabbath, rock and roll has had a longstanding history of male predominance in the music industry. In short, it’s a man’s world. But James Brown got it right when he confessed that "it wouldn’t be nothing without a woman or a girl." Today, we’re celebrating the badass women who not only held their own in the midst of musical upheaval but are also to thank for producing some of our most beloved contributions to rock music.
One of the most influential voices in the 1960s was Little Girl Blue, Janis Joplin. Paste Magazine commented, “As much as Janis was tethered to her conservative upbringing, she made incredible strides, not only for women in music but also for music in general.” Joplin’s raw and tortured vocals embodied a young woman searching for raison d'être in an oft-cruel world.
Joplin had a voice that could penetrate your soul, with a gravelly rasp that sounded like heartache incarnate. Her music’s ability to stir us - even to this day, says a great deal about the emotional connection that performing provided her. “Onstage I make love to twenty-five thousand people,” she said. “And then I go home alone.”
Joni Mitchell is another artist who’s dealt with more than a few setbacks throughout her career. After struggling to make it in the Canadian music scene, Mitchell migrated to California in 1968, where she played a critical role in establishing the celebrated California sound. Describing herself as “a painter derailed by circumstance,” Mitchell’s music illustrates themes of moody vulnerability with artful poise.
Her lyrics, which confront social and environmental paradigms, are praised for their developed poetics. Mitchell has been recognized on numerous occasions for her excellence in songwriting, with AllMusic even stating, “When the dust settles, Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century.”
Then there was sweet little Linda Ronstadt with a voice as big as a house, and a perpetually broken heart. Her musical style, which she described as “Mexican bluegrass,” was heavily criticized by purists for crossing too many genres, although Ronstadt was always content to embrace this fusion.
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry, she once said that she felt a tremendous amount of pressure to compete with the boys. Despite this innate sense of competition, she is known also for giving Glenn Frey and Don Henley their start at the Troubadour before they went on to form the Eagles. Ronstadt not only encouraged this departure but also hooked them up with chicken-pickin’ wizard, Bernie Leadon.
Last, but not least is the Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll, Stevie freakin’ Nicks. Best known for her contributions in Fleetwood Mac, she epitomized an unbridled sense of womanhood. "Her Rhiannon in those days was like an exorcism,” declared Mick Fleetwood of her earlier performances with the band. Nicks’ gruff, feathery alto has adorned solo and Fleetwood Mac tracks alike, the list including Rhiannon, Dreams, Landslide, and Edge of Seventeen to name a few.
Nicks, whose personal life has had a profound impact on her musical career, also chose to remain somewhat enigmatic. “I believe that there is a certain amount of mysticism that all women should have, that you should never tell all your secrets, that you should never tell everybody all about you.”
While these ladies' musical backgrounds may differ, their musical accomplishments are the tie that binds. Stay tuned as I forge ahead in my quest to honour the women of rock and roll royalty.
Until next time, stay groovy.
-A