The Pioneers of Women in Rock Music
A handful of women were really pioneers of women in rock music. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts via Shervin Lainez
There are so many women in rock music today, that you might think it was always this way. But, it wasn’t. For many years, it was something of a boys’ club, with almost all men in the heavier genres and just a few women trying to break through. A handful of women were really pioneers of women in rock music, and they helped pave the way for numerous women in the genre to follow.
Before rock, women were also pioneering being in the music industry. In the 1930s, jazz was all the rage, and all-female bands such as the Blue Belles, Lil-Hardin’s All-Girl Band, the Parisian Redheads, who became the Bricktops, and more were popular names.
Then, came rock ‘n’ roll. Some of the first all-women bands to sign to record labels included Goldie & the Gingerbreads and the Pleasure Seekers with Suzi Quatro. These groups, along with many more, were a major part of the advent of the all-female rock ‘n’ roll band in the 1960s.
Celebrating the Trailblazers and Pioneers of Women in Rock Music
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson was one of the earliest female rock ‘n’ rollers. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer became known for performing with Elvis Presley in the 1950s and earned the title of Queen of Rockabilly. She got her start in country music but made her way to rock. In 2011, at age 73, she even released a record with Jack White of the White Stripes.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Godmother of Rock, came from a gospel background and broke out of a small town in Arkansas with her 1945 hit, “Strange Things Happening Every Day.” She had a definitely R&B vibe, but she still rocked. Sister Rosetta Tharpe influenced countless women, and men, to come after her, and Little Richard has even famously said that she was his favorite singer when he was a kid.
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is considered one of the most influential women in rock music. She rose to fame performing with her husband, Ike Turner in St. Louis, Missouri, but she ended up becoming much more famous and successful than Turner, whom she eventually divorced. Turner’s big moment breaking out as a solo artist happened on 1984’s “Private Dancer,” which featured a bounty of hits, such as “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and “Better Be Good to Me.”
Aretha Franklin
One female rocker who deserves plenty of respect, pun intended, is Aretha Franklin, and she’s certainly one of the greatest pioneers of women in rock music. The Detroit-born powerhouse vocalist is the Queen of Soul, but she was also an important part of the rock movement. She was also the first female inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin had one of the greatest rock voices of all time, and she decorated with with lots of blues. Joplin is often considered the standard for female vocalists in rock, with her raw, dirty yet beautiful delivery. She passed away way too soon of a drug overdose in the 1970s.
Heart
Heart was absolutely pioneering for women in rock bands. Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, who hailed from the Seattle and Vancouver area, were broke through the male-driven mold with 1970s hits such as “Crazy on You” and “Magic Man.” Their 1977 hit “Barracuda” is a rock standard.
Joan Jett
When it came to women who played instruments, Joan Jett was one of the first guitar heroes who really showed girls and women that they could also rock the six-string. This “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” queen not only fronted Joan Jett and the Blackhearts but also co-founded and rocked with popular all-female group the Runaways, and she’s still active today.
Find Audio Ink Radio’s feature on the greatest female rock and metal bands.
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