Rock-and-Roll Woman

October 1, 2018

Ochs (The Bruce Springsteen Vault; host of Freewheelin' on Sirius XM) selects 50 of the "fiercest" female rock and roll performers to represent a wide variety of styles--some with roots in gospel, ballad, and blues, and others from the worlds of riot grrrls and punk. Ochs includes early forerunners--Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Big Mama Thornton--and more recent names such as Grace Potter and Brittany Howard. There are established headliners--the late Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Janis Joplin, and Carole King--as well as those not as immediately recognizable: Exene Cervenka, Poison Ivy, and Karen O. Succinct, but rich biographies highlight the women's stories, defining musical style, major hits, and performance career as well as their influence within the larger cultural scene. These eclectic narratives are crisp, absorbing, and well structured and accompanied by scores of excellent photos--all designed in an eye-catching format. VERDICT A must for rock and roll and women's studies enthusiasts. It will also appeal to those who wish to become better acquainted with the genre and the women who were a force in its development.--Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

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