This Day in History: English-born American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Lita Ford was born on this day in 1958. She was the lead guitarist for the all-female rock band the Runaways in the late 1970s, before embarking on a successful glam metal solo career that hit its peak in the late 1980s. The 1989 single "Close My Eyes Forever", a duet with Ozzy Osbourne, remains Ford's most successful song, reaching No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Lita Ford is one the top women of Rock and Roll, yet she never really makes the list of the top women of Rock and Roll. VH1 compiled a list of the top 100 women of Rock (http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1999/vh1women.htm). Aretha Franklin was number one on this list. Aretha Franklin is without a doubt a great singer, but she is not Rock and Roll. She is known as the "Queen of Soul" for a reason.
Joni Mitchell is number 5 on the list, but I don't consider Joni Mitchell's music as Rock. Her style is more of a mixture of folk and jazz.
Billie Holiday is number 6 on the list. Billie Holiday is Jazz and Swing, not Rock and Roll.
Madonna is number 8 on this list. Madonna performs pop, electronica and dance music, not Rock and Roll.
Patsy Cline is number 11. Patsy Cline is a great Country music singer, she is not Rock and Roll.
I could go on. Perhaps if lists liked this narrowed their considerations for actual women in Rock, there would be room for female rockers like Lita Ford, or Lee Aaron, Lisa Dalbello, Suzi Quatro, Maria Brink, Amy Lee and Wendy O. Williams.
No comments:
Post a Comment