The Importance of Women Songwriters to the Music Industry

The Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center last year (2022) sponsored a songwriting camp that featured all male songwriters. This year, to balance the equation and give equal importance to the contributions of women songwriters we are sponsoring a Woman’s Songwriting Camp on April 7th-9th, 2023.  Please call 828-926-1717 to register if you are interested in attending.

Female songwriters have long been an integral part of the music industry, yet their contributions are often overlooked or undervalued. From Carole King and Joni Mitchell to Taylor Swift and Beyonce, female songwriters have written some of the most memorable and iconic songs in history. These women have not only broken through barriers and paved the way for future generations of female artists, but they have also brought a unique perspective to the art of songwriting.

One of the reasons female songwriters have been able to create such impactful music is because of their ability to connect with their audience on a personal level. Many female songwriters draw from their own experiences and emotions to write lyrics that resonate with listeners. They have a unique ability to express vulnerability and raw emotion in a way that makes their music relatable to people from all walks of life.

Carole King, for example, wrote some of the most iconic songs of the 1960s and 1970s, including “You’ve Got a Friend” and “Natural Woman.” King drew from her own experiences as a struggling songwriter and a single mother to create music that spoke to people’s deepest emotions. Similarly, Joni Mitchell‘s introspective lyrics and unique guitar tunings created a sound that was both beautiful and haunting.

In addition to their emotional connection with audiences, female songwriters also bring a fresh perspective to the industry. For many years, the music industry was dominated by men, and thier perspectives and experiences were the only ones represented in popular music. But female songwriters have been able to break through this barrier and bring a new voice to the industry.

Taylor Swift, for example, has used her music to speak out about feminism and social issues. Her album “Lover” features songs like “The Man,” which addresses double standards for women in the workplace, and “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince,” which critiques the current state of American politics. Beyonce’s “Lemonade” album is a powerful statement on race, gender, and infidelity, and her song “Formation” became an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Female songwriters have also been able to create music that defies traditional genres and expectations. They have pushed boundaries and experimented with different sounds and styles, creating music that is both innovative and captivating. Billie Eilish, for example, has been praised for her unique blend of pop, electronic, and indie music, while Lizzo has created a new kind of pop music that celebrates body positivity and self-love.

But it is not just mainstream pop music that has been fundamentally altered by the contributions of female song-writers, every genre has had bright lights that shown the way for generations of women artist to entertain and move audiences around the world. Some examples follow…

Bluegrass

Bluegrass music is a genre that originated in the Appalachian region of the United States, characterized by its use of acoustic instruments and intricate vocal harmonies. Although it has traditionally been a male-dominated genre, there have been several famous female songwriters who have made significant contributions to bluegrass music. Here are some examples:

Hazel Dickens: Hazel Dickens was a legendary bluegrass singer-songwriter from West Virginia who wrote many powerful songs about the struggles of working-class people, particularly women. Her songs often dealt with issues such as poverty, coal mining, and domestic abuse. She was known for her powerful voice and her ability to write songs that spoke to the heart of the blue-collar experience. Some of her most famous songs include “Mama’s Hand,” “Black Lung,” and “West Virginia My Home.”

Alice Gerrard: Alice Gerrard is a pioneering bluegrass artist who has been active in the genre since the 1960s. She is known for her soulful vocals and her ability to write songs that blend traditional bluegrass themes with contemporary concerns. Gerrard has written many iconic bluegrass songs, including “Bittersweet,” “I’ll Break Out Tonight,” and “Farewell to the Mountains.”

Laurie Lewis: Laurie Lewis is a singer-songwriter and fiddler who has been a fixture on the bluegrass scene since the 1970s. She has won multiple Grammy awards for her music and is known for her beautiful voice and her ability to write songs that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. Some of her most famous songs include “Who Will Watch the Home Place,” “Tall Pines,” and “My Heart’s Own Love.”

Alison Krauss: Alison Krauss is one of the most commercially successful bluegrass artists of all time. She is known for her angelic voice and her ability to blend bluegrass with other genres, such as pop and country. Krauss has won multiple Grammy awards for her music, including Album of the Year for “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” in 2001. Some of her most famous songs include “When You Say Nothing at All,” “The Lucky One,” and “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You.”

Roots-Americana

Roots-Americana is a genre of music that encompasses a wide range of styles, including folk, rock, country, blues, and bluegrass. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many talented female songwriters making significant contributions to the genre. Here are some examples of famous women songwriters in Americana and why they are famous:

Lucinda Williams: Lucinda Williams is a singer-songwriter from Louisiana who has been active in the Americana scene since the 1970s. She is known for her gritty, introspective lyrics and her ability to blend rock, blues, and country music. Williams has won multiple Grammy awards for her music, including Best Country Song for “Passionate Kisses” in 1994. Some of her most famous songs include “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,” “Righteously,” and “Can’t Let Go.”

Gillian Welch: Gillian Welch is a singer-songwriter from California who is known for her haunting, melancholy voice and her ability to write songs that explore the dark corners of the human experience. Welch has been active in the Americana scene since the 1990s and has won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “Orphan Girl,” “Annabelle,” and “The Way It Will Be.”

Brandi Carlile: Brandi Carlile is a singer-songwriter from Washington State who has been active in the Americana scene since the early 2000s. She is known for her powerful vocals and her ability to write songs that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. Carlile has won multiple Grammy awards for her music, including Best Americana Album for “By the Way, I Forgive You” in 2019. Some of her most famous songs include “The Story,” “The Joke,” and “Party of One.”

Patty Griffin: Patty Griffin is a singer-songwriter from Maine who has been active in the Americana scene since the 1990s. She is known for her soulful vocals and her ability to write songs that explore the complexities of the human experience. Griffin has won multiple Grammy awards for her music, including Best Traditional Gospel Album for “Downtown Church” in 2011. Some of her most famous songs include “Rain,” “Up to the Mountain,” and “Heavenly Day.”

Blues

Blues music is a genre that originated in the African American communities of the United States in the late 19th century. It is characterized by its use of simple chord progressions, call and response patterns, and expressive vocals. Although it has traditionally been a male-dominated genre, there have been several famous female songwriters who have made significant contributions to blues music. Here are some examples:

Bessie Smith: Bessie Smith was a legendary blues singer-songwriter from Tennessee who was known for her powerful vocals and her ability to write songs that spoke to the experiences of African American women. She was one of the most popular blues artists of the 1920s and 1930s and was known as the “Empress of the Blues.” Some of her most famous songs include “Downhearted Blues,” “Empty Bed Blues,” and “Backwater Blues.”

Ma Rainey: Ma Rainey was a pioneering blues artist from Georgia who was known for her deep, soulful voice and her ability to write songs that captured the essence of the blues. She was one of the first blues artists to record her music, and she helped to popularize the genre in the 1920s and 1930s. Some of her most famous songs include “Bo-Weevil Blues,” “Black Bottom,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Memphis Minnie: Memphis Minnie was a blues singer-songwriter and guitarist from Louisiana who was known for her fierce independence and her ability to write songs that addressed social issues such as poverty, racism, and sexism. She was one of the few women in blues who played guitar and was a skilled instrumentalist. Some of her most famous songs include “When the Levee Breaks,” “Bumble Bee,” and “Me and My Chauffeur Blues.”

Koko Taylor: Koko Taylor was a blues singer-songwriter from Tennessee who was known for her powerful vocals and her ability to write songs that spoke to the struggles of African American women. She was one of the most popular blues artists of the 1960s and 1970s and was known as the “Queen of the Blues.” Some of her most famous songs include “Wang Dang Doodle,” “I’m a Woman,” and “Let the Good Times Roll.”

Country

Country music is a genre that originated in the Southern United States in the early 20th century. It is characterized by its use of storytelling, simple chord progressions, and twangy vocals. While country music has traditionally been a male-dominated genre, there have been several famous female songwriters who have made significant contributions to the genre. Here are some examples:

Dolly Parton: Dolly Parton is a singer-songwriter from Tennessee who is known for her distinctive voice, her flamboyant style, and her ability to write songs that speak to the struggles and joys of everyday life. She has been active in the country music scene since the 1960s and has won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “9 to 5.”

Loretta Lynn: Loretta Lynn is a singer-songwriter from Kentucky who is known for her powerful vocals and her ability to write songs that address social issues such as gender roles, domestic violence, and poverty. She has been active in the country music scene since the 1960s and has won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” and “Fist City.”

Emmylou Harris: Emmylou Harris is a singer-songwriter from Alabama who is known for her angelic voice and her ability to blend country, folk, and rock music. She has been active in the country music scene since the 1970s and has won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “Boulder to Birmingham,” “Two More Bottles of Wine,” and “Wrecking Ball.”

Miranda Lambert: Miranda Lambert is a singer-songwriter from Texas who is known for her fiery personality and her ability to write songs that are both personal and relatable. She has been active in the country music scene since the early 2000s and has won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “The House That Built Me,” “Gunpowder & Lead,” and “Tin Man.”

Jazz

Jazz is a genre of music that originated in the African American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th century. While jazz has traditionally been a male-dominated genre, there have been several famous female songwriters who have made significant contributions to the genre. Here are some examples:

Billie Holiday: Billie Holiday is a singer-songwriter from Pennsylvania who is known for her distinctive voice and her ability to convey deep emotion in her music. She was active in the jazz scene from the 1930s until her death in 1959 and is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of all time. Some of her most famous songs include “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Lover Man.”

Dorothy Fields: Dorothy Fields was a songwriter from New York who is known for her contributions to the Great American Songbook. She was active in the jazz scene from the 1920s until her death in 1974 and was the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Some of her most famous songs include “The Way You Look Tonight,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

Peggy Lee: Peggy Lee was a singer-songwriter from North Dakota who is known for her sultry voice and her ability to write songs that were both catchy and sophisticated. She was active in the jazz scene from the 1940s until her death in 2002 and won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “Fever,” “Is That All There Is?,” and “Why Don’t You Do Right?”

Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell is a singer-songwriter from Canada who is known for her ability to blend jazz, folk, and rock music. She was active in the jazz scene from the 1960s until the present day and has won multiple Grammy awards for her music. Some of her most famous songs include “Both Sides, Now,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” and “A Case of You.”

Calypso

Calypso is a genre of music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 20th century. While calypso has traditionally been a male-dominated genre, there have been several famous female songwriters who have made significant contributions to the genre. Here are some examples:

Calypso Rose: Calypso Rose is a singer-songwriter from Trinidad and Tobago who is known as the “Queen of Calypso.” She has been active in the calypso scene since the 1950s and has won multiple awards for her music, including the prestigious WOMEX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Some of her most famous songs include “Fire in Me Wire,” “Do Dem Back,” and “Calypso Queen.”

The Mighty Spoiler (Sandra DesVignes-Millington): The Mighty Spoiler was a singer-songwriter from Trinidad and Tobago who is known for her satirical lyrics and her ability to speak truth to power through her music. She was active in the calypso scene from the 1950s until her death in 1979 and was the first woman to win the Calypso Monarch title. Some of her most famous songs include “Ten to One is Murder,” “Miss Tourist,” and “Sandra’s Wedding.”

Singing Sandra (Sandra DesVignes-Millington): Singing Sandra is a singer-songwriter from Trinidad and Tobago who is known for her powerful vocals and her ability to write songs that address social issues such as gender inequality and domestic violence. She has been active in the calypso scene since the 1980s and has won multiple awards for her music, including the Calypso Monarch title in 1999. Some of her most famous songs include “Voices from the Ghetto,” “Die with My Dignity,” and “River Come Down.”

Gypsy (Winston Peters): Gypsy was a singer-songwriter from Trinidad and Tobago who is known for her playful lyrics and her ability to entertain audiences with her music. She was active in the calypso scene from the 1970s until her death in 2018 and won multiple awards for her music, including the Calypso Monarch title in 1997. Some of her most famous songs include “Sinking Ship,” “Captain the Ship is Sinking,” and “De Harder Dey Come.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, female songwriters have made an enormous contribution to the music industry, bringing their unique perspectives and experiences to create some of the most impactful and memorable music of all time. Their ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level, their fresh perspectives, and their willingness to push boundaries have made them a force to be reckoned with. As we move into the future, we can only expect more amazing music from the next generation of female songwriters who will continue to inspire and connect with audiences around the world.