February 24th, 2011 : Cause & Effect : Wanda Jackson
It is nearly impossible to put into proper context what it was like for women playing Rock and Roll during the '50s. This was a wickedly conservative time, (before the the bra burning feminist movement) when women were expected to be homemakers, not out in the work place and certainly not on a stage singing energetic tunes with sexual overtones. There has been many women paving the way for ladies in Rock but at the top of that list is one Wanda Jackson; an American hero and pioneer when looking at our country's Rock and Roll history. What really irritates me is that Elvis always gets the credit for starting Rock and Roll when there were so many people making great music at the time. To add insult to injury, women in this scene have received even less recognition.
Tonight from 7PM to 9PM on WRIR I will celebrate not only the music of Wanda Jackson but the Hillbilly artists she looked up to as a kid, the other women bold enough to play sassy sexy Rock and Roll / Rockabilly, as well as many other unsung heroes (men and women) playing the early form of Rock as we know it today.
97.3 FM on your dial in RVA and www.wrir.org to stream live.
Here is a link to the set list from the show. I had a blast and thanks to all for nice comments called in or emailed. Glad y'all loved it as much as I did!
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