March is Women’s History Month, and I have been a woman in rock for more than half my life. Want to know what it’s like for females in the rock radio business or trying to get on the charts firsthand? Ask me.
For me, it was rock radio’s early days. Listening to those who came before me (although there were not many): Allison Steele and Carol Miller. They created a place for women on the radio that wasn’t limited to being a news reporter or someone giving the traffic reports.
I still decided to venture into the rock radio world as a career. Even though I often saw the struggles that amazingly talented women had getting on the radio. Rarely women earned prime slots and or even getting into radio as a career.
The programming part? I was often told, “Women don’t do that on rock radio. You can be the music director.” Hard pass. I didn’t listen.
It’s inspiring to see the landscape for artists evolve as well. I remember the phrase all too well: “We have a female on the playlist. We are playing Heart and The Pretenders, no more room.”
Also there is, “Please code the music so women don’t play next to each other.”
What a bogus concept. It was, still is and not earth-shattering to hear Heart and Halestorm in the same quarter hour. How the heck did we buy into such nonsense?
In 2018, I created a female rock show called The Queens of Noise. It was originally born in 2007 when I was programming at WHTG. I decided to put the show in prime time on Fridays at 2 p.m., and it quickly became one of the station’s most popular and highly rated features. It also became an advertiser favorite.
QON highlighted the pioneers. The ’80s, ’90s, 2000s. Plus new music, and a sprinkling of local ladies.
Someone asked me, “Who could you play for a WHOLE hour?” Who could I play? What a question.
A typical hour included Janis Joplin, Lita Ford, L7, Alanis Morissette, Dorothy, The Breeders, Joan Jett, The Pretty Reckless, Pretenders, Stevie Nicks, Flyleaf, and Halestorm. Pretty solid if you ask me.
Not buried on a Sunday night, and no gender coding. There were always phenomenal female rockers checking into the show to be interviewed. Plus, the male feedback for the show was off the charts.
It’s also been great to see female-fronted bands and female artists build musical careers that last much longer than they once did.
Evanescence is embarking on an all-female-fronted tour. Poppy, Halestorm, and The Pretty Reckless dominate the charts. The Warning is innovative, doing things their way while building a massive fan base. The metal world has too many new rock goddesses to mention.
There is now room for female solo guitar heroes. Orianthi, Nita Strauss, and Sophie Lloyd are revered. My favorite band, Rush, has added a female drummer. The incredible Anika Nilles has joined the band for their “Fifty Something” tour playing the songs that rock’s greatest drummer, Neil Peart.
There was shock and awe of male prog drummers everywhere. Not because Anika is female, but because she’s an incredible talent. That’s the progress we need.
While the radio business sometimes seems almost non-existent for jobs, it’s even tougher for us girls.
Drive-time slots in rock radio are usually reserved for men, leading to fewer gigs. Programming opportunities are less likely as well. However, it has been fantastic to see a few women evolve into their own morning shows this year with their names front and center.
For the month of March, as I celebrate “Girl Power,” I have created a series on my website and YouTube channel highlighting some of my favorite interviews over the years. The series includes Heart, Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, Amy Lee of Evanescence, Morgan Lander from Kittie, Suzi Quatro, and more, with new interviews posted daily.
These were game-changing moments for these artists. It has always been my passion to grab that torch passed to me way back and throw it forward.
Let’s keep it going.
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