Events

The 1960s and 1970s saw an explosion of talent by American women singer-songwriters, from folk, R&B, blues, jazz, pop, country, and rock, including Joni Mitchel, Joan Baez, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, Janis Ian, Carly Simon, Dolly Parton, Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris, and others. While some women singer-songwriters wrote or sang songs that presented women in older stereotypical roles, such as in "Stop in the Name of Love" or "It's My Party," others' songs reflected changing attitudes by and about women, songs that reflect women's strength and independence in relationships, such as 'It's too late" or "You're so Vain," or that reflect social issues, such as "At Seventeen" or "Society's Child." In a live music-spiced examination of this cultural phenomenon, singing duo Bill Bowen and Joan Friedenberg, who perform professionally as the PinkSlip Duo, retrace the steps of these women singer-songwriters. Their songs are sung in harmony-rich arrangements with lyrics projected for the audience to sing along for an educational and nostalgic journey.