Nancy Wilson On Falling In Love With The Guitar, Being A Woman In Rock
Nancy Wilson celebrates her birthday today (March 16.) It goes without saying that she and Ann Wilson together broke down tremendous gender barriers. Their work in Heart helped further open…
Nancy Wilson celebrates her birthday today (March 16.) It goes without saying that she and Ann Wilson together broke down tremendous gender barriers. Their work in Heart helped further open the door for women in rock.
As part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum’s “Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power” exhibit, Nancy sat down and talked about holding a guitar for the first time and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated rock world.
In the time since Heart’s debut (and the band’s induction into the Rock Hall in 2013), it’s safe to say that countless women owe a big “Thank You” to Nancy and Ann. Who knows what the musical landscape would be without them?
A Salute to the Women Performers in the Rock Hall
Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day. How should we celebrate? By honoring the influential women that have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
...Oh, and to serve up the reminder that women accounting for just over eight percent of Rock Hall inductees is simply inexcusable. (For a further breakdown of this, check out Evelyn McDonnell's exceptional piece "The Manhandling of Rock ‘N’ Roll History.")
John Sykes, the Rock Hall's new chairman after Rolling Stone/Rock Hall founder Jann Wenner stepped down as of January 1, 2020, said in countless interviews how the Rock Hall needs to evolve and diversify. It seems as though he's keeping his word. More women are being nominated and more women are being inducted. Tina Turner, Carole King and The Go-Go's were inducted as part of the 2021 class. Meanwhile, Annie Lennox, Dolly Parton, Pat Benatar and Carly Simon are members of the 2022 induction class. Hopefully, fans will see even more women make the cut in future classes.
Until then, scroll through the gallery. It features the remarkable women who have defied the odds to be recognized by the Rock Hall.
Aretha Franklin
Express Newspapers/Getty ImagesInducted in 1987.
The Supremes (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson)
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1988.
Bessie Smith
Three Lions/Getty ImagesInducted in 1989 in the Early Influences category.
Ma Rainey
Lefteris Papaulakis/Shutterstock.comInducted in 1990 in the Early Influences category.
Zola Taylor
A. W. Cox/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1990 with The Platters.
LaVern Baker
Rhino/AtlanticInducted in 1991.
Tina Turner
John Rogers/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1991 with Ike & Tina Turner.
Dinah Washington
Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1993 in the Early Influences category.
Ruth Brown
RhinoInducted in 1993.
Etta James
UMGInducted in 1993.
Cynthia Robinson & Rose Stone
Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1993 with Sly & the Family Stone.
Donna Jean Godchaux
RhinoInducted in 1994 with the Grateful Dead.
Janis Joplin
Stroud/Express/Getty ImagesInducted in 1995.
Martha and the Vandellas (Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford-Holmes, Annette Sterling-Helton, Lois Reeves, Betty Kelly)
Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1995.
Gladys Knight
an Tyas/Keystone/Getty ImagesInducted in 1996 with Gladys Knight & the Pips
The Shirelles (Shirley Alston Reeves, Addie Harris, Doris Kenner Jackson, Beverly Lee)
Kaye/Express/Getty ImagesInducted in 1996.
Maureen Tucker – Inducted in 1996 with The Velvet Underground
UNIVERSAL MUSIC ARCHIVESInducted in 1996 with The Velvet Underground.
Grace Slick
McCarthy/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 1996 with Jefferson Airplane .
Mahalia Jackson
Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty ImagesInducted in 1997 in the Early Influences category.
Joni Mitchell
Central Press/Getty ImagesInducted in 1997.
Christine McVie & Stevie Nicks
Dia Dipasupil/Getty ImagesInducted in 1998 with Fleetwood Mac.
Cass Elliot & Michelle Phillips
Wood/Getty ImagesInducted in 1998 with The Mamas & the Papas.
Dusty Springfield
Central Press/Getty ImagesInducted in 1999.
Cleotha Staples, Mavis Staples & Yvonne Staples
Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesInducted in 1999 with The Staple Singers.
Billie Holiday
Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 2000 in the Early Influences category.
Bonnie Raitt
Larry Busacca/Getty ImagesInducted in 2000.
Brenda Lee
Len Trievnor/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 2002.
Tina Weymouth
Lawrence Lucier/Getty ImagesInducted in 2002 with Talking Heads.
Chrissie Hynde
Terry Wyatt/Getty ImagesInducted in 2005 with The Pretenders.
Debbie Harry
Rogers/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 2006 with Blondie.
The Ronettes (Veronica, Estelle Bennett, Nedra Talley)
Fred Mott/Getty ImagesInducted in 2007.
Patti Smith
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesInducted in 2007.
Madonna
Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesInducted in 2008.
Wanda Jackson
Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesInducted in 2009 in the Early Influences category.
Agnetha Fältskog & Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Evening Standard/Getty ImagesInducted in 2010 with ABBA.
Darlene Love
Jared Wickerham/Getty ImagesInducted in 2011.
Claudette Rogers Robinson
Evening Standard/Getty ImagesInducted in 2012 with The Miracles.
Laura Nyro
UMGInducted in 2012.
Ann & Nancy Wilson
Express Newspapers/Getty ImagesInducted in 2013 with Heart.
Donna Summer
Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesInducted in 2013.
Linda Ronstadt
P. Floyd/Daily Express/Getty ImagesInducted in 2014.
Patti Scialfa
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesInducted in 2014 with The E Street Band.
Joan Jett
Christopher Polk/Getty ImagesInducted in 2015 with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.
Joan Baez
Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesInducted in 2017.
Nina Simone
Photo by Getty ImagesInducted in 2018.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty ImagesInducted in 2018 in the Early Influences category.
Janet Jackson
Francois Nel/Getty ImagesInducted in 2019.
Stevie Nicks
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesInducted as a solo artist in 2019. Nicks is also the first woman double inductee in Rock Hall history.
Whitney Houston
Scott Gries/ImageDirect/Getty ImagesInducted in 2020.
Tina Turner
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesInducted as a solo artist in 2021.
Carole King
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesInducted as a solo artist in 2021.
The Go-Go's
Arturo Holmes/Getty ImagesInducted in 2021. (Was inducted as a songwriter with Gerry Goffin receiving the Ahmet Ertegun Award in 1990.)
Annie Lennox
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesInducted as a member of the Eurythmics in 2022.
Dolly Parton
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesInducted in 2022.
Pat Benatar
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesInducted with guitarist/songwriting partner Neil Giraldo in 2022.
Carly Simon
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesInducted in 2022.
