Few things are more awe-inspiring than a self-assured woman who owns her confidence with pride and with humility.
And when a lady has that kind of intangible appeal combined with musical genius, she satisfies the prerequisites to be recognized as a woman who rocks.
Featuring more than 70 artists and filling 2 floors, the Rock Hall of Fame’s new exhibit – Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power – celebrates music’s storied past by highlighting how females influenced its history.
After realizing no amount of belting vocals into my hairspray bottle would earn me a place in the exhibit, I decided to speak with an expert about how the Rock Hall narrowed down the deserving female rockers to 70 musicians.
Enter museum curator, Jim Henke.
Now, Mr. Henke is more than just the awesome Vice President of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs at the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, but he is a positively passionate music journalist. He served as music editor for Rolling Stone magazine, was VP of production at Elektra Records, and has curated exhibits including everything from Elvis to rap. Mr. Henke, my friends, knows his music, and I was delighted to learn how his vision led to the curation and creation of Women Who Rock.
Me: How overwhelming was it to get started on Women Who Rock when women have impacted music so much?
Henke: It was a pretty big subject to tackle. There were a lot of conversations and several meetings held in determining when it was the right to time to pursue the exhibit. But once we decided that the time was right, we enlisted the help of outside people – particularly educators, the Biography Channel, and authors who had written books on the subject matter we wanted to cover. With their help, our staff started the collecting process – collecting artifacts, collecting information – to tell the best story possible.
Me: Tell me about the selection process of choosing artists for the exhibit. What stood out about the chosen women?
Henke: One thing we wanted to do was feature music’s pioneers. Ma Rainey, for example, is featured, and she was one of the first women to record blues records. Bessie Smith is another great blues singer from the 1920s and 1930s. And Maybelle Carter was one of the first well-known country singers. We chose musicians whose legacies reflect how important women were to the development of recorded music, especially during a time when women weren’t always rewarded with chart positions like they are now.
Me: Speaking of women rocking the charts- which current chart toppers are included in Women Who Rock?
Henke: We’ve got Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. Janelle Monae and Lady Gaga. As a matter of fact, we have in our exhibit Lady Gaga’s childhood piano.
Me: Gaga’s piano! That’s a fun artifact to have!
Rihanna’s American Music Awards Performance Outfit, also featured at the Exhibit. Photo courtesy of Rockhall.com
Henke: Oh, we’ve got lots of instruments – Wanda Jackson’s guitar, a bass guitar from The Breeders, and even a bass drum from the White Stripes. We also have lots of lyric manuscripts. And we’re thankful to the families of the inductees as they expressed an overall excitement in helping us collect these items.
Wanda Jackson’s Acoustic Guitar. Photo courtesy of Rockhall.com
Me: If I am planning a trip to check out the Women Who Rock exhibit, what parts of the exhibit must I absolutely see?
Henke: It’s a very comprehensive display, but one of the best parts is that visitors can enjoy the interactive experience of recording themselves in the video booths. They can record their thoughts about the exhibit, and we’ll email them the video for them to have as mementoes. This is one of the first times the Rock Hall has incorporated this kind of interactive element.
Me: As curator of this project, what impact do you foresee Women Who Rock having on visitors?
Henke: I really hope that kids get an understanding of music’s roots – 50s to the 60s to the whole punk period. It’s all very informative. To support the exhibit through its 9 month run, we are bringing in female music industry executives as well as some of the featured artists. The educational incentive will offer classes and programs on women who rock. After all, women have always played an important role in music, and with Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power, we’re paying homage to those outstanding musicians.
Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power opens on May 13, 2011 at The Rock Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Please visit www.rockhall.com for detailed information on visiting, donating, and on becoming a member.
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