So much attention is paid to male rockers that it seems that we have forgotten the women who have helped shape the scene of 20th Century Rock. As well as those who are emerging to become powerhouses in 21st Century Rock. There are so many, that it would be impossible to write about all of them. Several do really just sock you in the eye, and must be mentioned and honored for the paths they made for other women who followed and will follow. Some mentioned here hit you hard, while others enchant you, either way: they rock you and make you feel. I think to trace the roots of women in Rock back; we must start with the first great female rock ‘n roll star Janis Joplin.

Janis Joplin to me and probably too many others is the true mother of females breaking through the barrier of rock ‘n roll, hard rock, often dirtiest side of the music industry. Born in 1943 in a small Texas town, which was probably a big patch of fucking dirt called of Port Arthur. Coming up during the turbulent times of the 60’s, she like many her age headed straight for the center of the action of her time, San Francisco. Unlike most kids that took off for Haight-Ashbury. She hit not only Gold there, but platinum too.

She met up with some who would be her band mates, later on, would be her back up musicians. They where called The Big Brother Band. At the 1967 Summer of Love concert series they made their debut, singing Ball and Chain. Columbia Records took notice and thus this mother of the female Rock movement was found. She also began loosing herself. While it is likely that she was dabbling in drugs from the moment she hit Haight-Ashbury the more famous and more money she got, the heavier her drug use got, shooting Heroin and doing LSD and other drugs, while still turning out great music Like “Piece of My Heart, “Summertime” and others, a couple of her most famous songs where released post-humanely, “Me and Bobby Mc Gee” and “Mercedes Benz” off her Final Album Pearl. She died of a heroin overdose. She had been able to quit for awhile, but on October 4, 1970 she could no longer restrain her drug habit, which led to her OD. Today, there are two movies about her life in the works. I know of two names thrown around all the time. Hopefully they will use the younger name, and get it made soon.

Grace Slick is another hard rocking woman, Born in 1939, she was close in age to Joplin and close friendship they built. Though it always confused me when it came to fronting Jefferson Starship or Jefferson Airplane, I did go back and listen to some tracks. I know I found the difference. Like Joplin During her Starship days, she was also gripped heavily by the restraints of massive drug and alcohol addiction. The music that came from Starship had a very different feel, and seemed more like an acid trip than Airplane’s music. Starships Music has an out of this world feeling, as if she and the band had just taken LSD, Acid, or shot some heroin. Listen to Starship music, and you pick up the far away melodies and lyrics in songs such as: White Rabbit, Stranger, and Miracles. Though she may not have fronted all the songs by herself, her rich velvet voice can be heard in every song, every melody.

As the group moved into cleaner times and reinvented themselves, the changed their name to Jefferson Airplane, While still a great band, if you listen closely they lost some of the, and floating feeling of their lyrics and opted for more grounded and solid songs. Slicks voice is as strong as ever. Her vocals smooth pitch perfect and ability to reinvent came long before Madonna could even conceive the notion. For they knew a generation would be finding their music. I do not know who in the band realize that they needed to change their sound, but it worked. Whether you’re a fan of the original Starship music or Airplane music, they made sure that rockers can find something they could relate to. Amid the two bands in one, Airplane came up with some great music as well. None of it to be overlooked by any die hard rock fan. Though the lyrics may have mellowed, and the acid triiping sound gone, the songs have their merit and influenced many. Listen to some of Airplanes songs. You will know they had the same feeling, and depth. Just minus the drug induced high of their earlier music under Starship. Some songs done as Airplane include: We Built This City, Sara, and Nothing’s Going to Stop us Now.

Whether alone or with Fleetwood Mac, she made men swoon and women want to be her. Her beauty was and still is bewitching, her voice powerful, and legends of love gone wrong amongst her band mates legendary, which made their tunes so great. They used their break-ups and make-ups to make for some electrifying music.

Stevie was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Her real name is Stephanie Nicks. Like Janis, Stevie took off for the California Bay area in the 60’s where she met her first musical and romantic partner, Lindsey Buckingham. Together they attended San Jose State University, and formed their first band Fritz. These two newcomers to the scene soon found themselves opening for music giants like Jimi Hendrix’s and Janis Joplin.

Together with the band Fritz they made 1 album, and later stuck together as a duo band. In 1975 they met the band who would bring them great acclaim, fame, fortune and several headaches, Fleetwood Mac. When they finished up in the Bay Area, they headed south to Los Angeles. While there they met up with an already established group from England. The founders and namesakes of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood and John Mc Vee, struck a deal with Lindsey Buckingham. If they wanted him to join, they would have to take his girlfriend Stevie along for the ride. They said sure, and a new Fleetwood Mac was born. Once together the band was getting into drugs and alcohol, breaking up, and making some of the greatest music ever, with Stevie and Christine Mc Vee taking turns as the female lead vocalists. I’m sure it added fuel to the already burning embers, but the sparks were unmistakable. Stevie more than any of the other members of the band was able to go back and forth between the band and her own solo career, producing many hits for herself, and Fleetwood Mac. Some great music to come from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie includes: Dreams, Go Your Own Way, Landslide, Tusk, Don’t Stop, Stop Dragging My Heart Around (with Tom Petty), Edge of Seventeen, Stand Back, and Bella Donna. A Magical Woman with magical words and a haunting Voice.

Although Heart made up of the two Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy have been around since the early 60’s they first made their big splash with songs like Crazy on You, Magic Man, and Barracuda, all in the mid 70’s. From that time to the early 80’s not much was heard from them. Their albums made in between went largely un-noticed. The new advent of MTV was coming on strong, and they knew to make it in this new music age, they would have to make music videos. At the time Music videos where hitting the airways, they where signed to Epic through 1983, followed by Columbia records. Though they both had beautiful and powerful voices, Nancy was made for Music Videos; she was beautiful, thin and sexy. Her Sister Ann, like most real women, while beautiful struggled with her weight. In numerous interviews, she has complained how they tried covering her up, while showcasing her sister. Lowering Ann’s sinking self esteem for the sake of money. Even with those issues, the managed to crank out some great Videos and music during this time period. Even though the music wasn’t as hard rocking as it was in the 70’s, it still rocked, with songs like What About Love, Alone, and These Dreams. It is my belief, that along with Stevie Nicks, Heart helped to bring alive many of the 1980’s Video rock Vixens that many are ingrained in our heads today.

As the Video age hit, so did several female rockers, all with varying Pat Benatar, Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders , Joan Jett, to name the main three of the 80’s. For Pat Benatar and Chrissie Hynde, it seems their hits never stopped. Pat hit it big at first with Crimes of Passion, with songs and videos that where high gloss and high substance. I personally remember wanting to be her, sound like her and dress like her. I tried all three, just the look worked for me. Some of her greatest music did come off Crimes of Passion and included: Hit Me with Your Best Shot, Treat Me Right, You Better Run, I’m Gonna Follow You. Two of her best, Wuthering Heights and Hell is for Children, never really got air play, but remain favorites of mine to this day. Later on, she still grabbed us with her petite body and opera trained voice with songs like: Promises in the Dark, Love Is a Battlefield, and We Belong. To this day she tirelessly tours.

Chrissie Hynde another female rocker with a powerful voice made a killing when MTV came to being. Though not as classically beautiful as Pat, Chrissie’s working class London looks and sounds made her very approachable and real. When Brass in Pocket hit the airways, a musical phenomenon was born. Her and her band quickly followed that with songs and videos such as, Back on the Chain Gang, Don’t Get Me Wrong, Middle of the Road and others. Though she never stopped several years later one of her most popular and heartfelt songs would come out, I’ll Stand by You. This is her most popular downloaded song on ITUNES.

While all three of the women of the early MTV video age are all rockers, none hit harder than Joan Jett. The only issue I personally see is that she had a few hits and seemingly vanished. The work I can actually work off of is hard, and rock you as hard as any male artist, some of these titles include: I Love Rock ‘N Roll, Bad Reputation, Do You Wanna Touch Me, and Crimson and Clover. I know she released a CD in 2006, but it went widely un-noticed. There is no written documentation why she stopped cold while her career was so hot. This is my opinion, she could have taken over, and become the heavy metal mother of all, to the upcoming generation had she not stopped when she was so hot and in her prime.

In the late 80’s Lita Ford tried to make a stand as a heavy metal rocker, on her own, she had one hit, Kiss Me Deadly and a great duet with Ozzy Osborne, Close my Eyes Forever. Sadly Beyond that she was unable to make much of an impact on heavy metal as a woman on her own.

In the early 90’s Alanis Morrisette came out with Jagged Little Pill. It was hard, angry and really pissed men off, but it was good. That CD produced many hits including, You Oughta Know, Ironic, Hand in My Pocket, You Learn and more. Sadly she did not stay angry enough to become the great rocker she had the potential to be, and subsequent CD’s just fizzled.

As time passes, some of these Rock ‘n Roll women continue to do concert dates. Just not on the same scale as their male peers who still sell out large stadiums. Hopefully someday we will find a Female Rocker who can. Right now, I see a couple who when they find their comfort zone may be great rockers, for now, the only great hope I see is in Amy Winehouse.