Women who ROCK
‘WOMEN WHO ROCK’ EXHIBIT BRINGS PASSION, MUSIC AND STORIES TO MIM
For nearly a century, female singers have reinvented what it means to be a woman, through powerful songwriting, daring and sometimes outrageous costumes, an independent spirit and the firm belief they can do whatever men can do.
These influential women, from the 1920s to today, are the subject of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s touring exhibition, “Women Who Rock,” which opened this weekend at the Musical Instrument Museum. The exhibit features instruments, outfits, concert posters, handwritten letters, albums, interviews with the artists and performance footage, all showcasing the impact of women on rock and roll.
“Women Who Rock” had long been a
goal for Meredith Rutledge-Borger, curator of the exhibit. The timing never seemed right.
“At a certain point, we realized this would never be an easy thing, so it was clear we had to do it,” she said. “I realized we had a lot in-house, enough representation of women who are both inductees and not inducted.”
“Women Who Rock” is divided chronologically into nine sections, starting with “Suffragettes and Juke-Joint Mamas,” which includes blues legend Billie Holiday, and ending with “Ladies First,” featuring Rihanna, Carrie Underwood, Meg White and Janelle Monáe. In between are the likes of Janis Joplin, Carole King, Donna Summer, Stevie Nicks and Cyndi Lauper.
Although not all of the women played rock music, Rutledge-Borger said the title is more of a mind-set.
“It’s a big tent, inclusive rather than exclusive,” she said. “We think that every single woman rocks in her own way, whether it’s Wanda Jackson or Lesley Gore, Cass Elliot or Joni Mitchell, they all represent different permeations of music that were inspired by the roots of rock and roll.”
Jackson, 75, dubbed the “Queen of Rockabilly,” appears in “Get Outta That Kitchen, Rattle Those Pots and Pans,” highlighting the emergence of rock and roll. In her display is a guitar and a bracelet accompanied by a photo of her wearing it while posing with Elvis. Also included is a patriotic dress that was much flashier than the traditional duds worn by country singers at the time.
“I look at that dress and think, ‘I actually got into that?’ ” Jackson said with a laugh. “I think a lot of people will be surprised at the women and all they have done, past and present. It really is an educational experience, and you really get a feel for the history of rock and roll.”
Jackson, who began performing in her teens, caught her break singing country. But it wasn’t until she met Elvis that she found her true sound.
“He encouraged me to get in on this kind of music, it was young people’s music,” she said. “I told him I couldn’t see like he did, and he said I didn’t need to. Once I got my feet wet and tried it, I know Elvis was right. He was a very important figure in my career.”
Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes are featured in the exhibit, and Spector will perform in the “Women Who Rock” concert series
She first realized she wanted to be a singer when she heard a Frankie Lymon record.
“I didn’t know if the singer was a boy or girl, but I loved that voice, the diction, the way he sang,” said Spector, 70. “My family couldn’t afford singing lessons, so I Madonna's bustier from her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour is part of the “Women Who Rock” exhibit at MIM. ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
The concert series opened Saturday with a performance by Jackson. On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Spector will present “Beyond the Beehive,” a two-hour performance featuring a full band and a blend of storytelling, personal images, home videos and singing.
Cullen Strawn of the MIM is overseeing the exhibit in Phoenix. He said “Women Who Rock” can be inspirational to anyone, not just fans of the artists.
“Anytime you get decades worth of creativity and struggles ... guests are deeply moved,” Strawn said. “Throughout the exhibition are stories of resistance, being told that one can’t achieve something, going against all odds, which are themes persistent in our lives.”
The exhibit includes Madonna’s gold bustier from her Blonde Ambition Tour, a bass guitar from Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads and the dress of green petals worn by Mary Wilson of the Supremes.
Strawn looks forward to seeing a Gibson L5 guitar played by Maybelle Carter, mother of June Carter and motherin-law of Johnny Cash. Maybelle had played the same model since the Carter Family started recording in 1927, but Cash didn’t want to risk damaging it, so he had a new guitar custom-made for her in 1964.
“The Carter Family helped launch so many types of musicians throughout the generations,” Strawn said. “This guitar comes from a very important part of American-music lineage, and it will be a powerful piece to stand in front of.”
Rutledge-Borger’s favorite piece is a fox-fur stole from Billie Holiday.
“There’s not a lot of stuff out there that belonged to Billie, and she died practically penniless and sick,” RutledgeBorger said. “This stole is an emblem of her success, and there’s a gorgeous photo of her modeling it on the street. In it, she is so far away from scrubbing steps in Baltimore.”
Rutledge-Borger hopes visitors are inspired and educated by the exhibit.
“I want people to know about these amazing journeys and get excited about them,” she said. “Each performer is somebody’s mother, sister, daughter, and they could all stand with the guys toe-to-toe.” Known for her androgynous punk-rock style, Smith embodied the New York City street-fashion scene of the late 1970s. Her beat-up army boots, pants and T-shirt are in the exhibit. The eccentric pop star always has made waves with her wild style choices, and her appearance at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards was no different. Wearing a dress by Franc Fernandez made entirely out of raw meat, Gaga said of the outfit: “If we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And I am not a piece of meat.”