User:Jennykatz/sandbox

Jazz music: jennykatz & kylieweiss

Jazz music was a propelling force to help women with liberation in the early twentieth century. Jazz music also helped paved the way for more jobs for women. This increase of a very male-dominated career until the 1920s, allowed more women to be in a performing arts career. In return of this increase, Showboat, the first jazz Broadway musical, was produced. Showboat discusses the hardships of family in Mississippi and the reunification of family. Jazz music influenced in helping women gain more jobs, open environment for post-war equality, and open sexuality in the early twentieth century. Many of the women in jazz music at the time helped influence the genre and many jazz women musicians were people of color. These factors helped grow the jazz music genre that is it today.

Many women influenced jazz music by producing, composing and performing jazz music. A woman who was influential in jazz music was Bessie Smith, also known as the Empress of the Blues. She lived from 1894-1937. She is a rock and roll hall of fame inductee, and 1989 Smith was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Another woman who made history in the jazz industry is Dolly Jones. She was the first women jazz trumpeter to be recorded. Many women do not get credit in this genre as do their male counterparts. Women like Sweet Emma Barrett, who performed in the Original Tuxedo Orchestra toured domestically and internationally. One of Barrett’s hit songs is “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” More women such as Billie Pierce, Lovie Austin,  Jeanette Kimball, Mary Lou Williams, Alice Coltrane, and Hazel Scott, all had an impact in the jazz genre. These women made their mark especially by being women in a very male-dominated genre.

A lot of these women who are well-known in the jazz world are not seen to receive as much recognition as they deserve because of their male competitors. Not only were women influential as jazz singers, but there are so many jazz musicians that also do not get their credit. One woman, being Ingrid Monson, who brought to the attention that when women first started to play the piano, they also gained more social acceptance in the music industry. Typically women would be seen to play in an all women's jazz group, but when they would step into the “professional jazz world” they would be an instant hit. One woman, by the name of Valaida Snow was also known as the “queen of the trumpet”. Another woman, Nona Gendryx, was a jazz vocalist who also played many instruments got the chance to work with many talented Hip Hop artists like Prince. This is a big deal though because these women accomplished so much in their time, but nobody knows who their names are.

These women had a lot of success, but for some of them, it was short lived. These women rose to fame when men were drafted off into World War II. However, once these men came home from being deployed, the jazz musicians who were women were then faced with difficult hardships. Problems such as sexual harassment and harsh criticism from their other band members and fellow jazz musicians were seen.

Black Women in Music: Carena Fay:

There are many influential black women in music. Two well-known musicians are Whitney Houston and Beyonce. These females are very successful in the music industry. Whitney Houston was one of the first singers to reach number one on the top charts. Her cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” was the biggest selling pop single in history. This cover helped put her career on the maps. It boosted sales of her album “The Bodyguard” making it the second best selling album of all time. She was nominated for 26 Grammys in 1994 and ended up taking three home with her. With 23 wins, Houston held the record for most American Music Award wins by a solo artist. It is clear that Whitney Houston was critical in black women music. She broke records, and it made a huge statement.

Beyonce Knowles is has also impacted the music industry as well as black women in the music world. In 1996 she was signed to Columbia Records and was apart of an all-female music group called Destiny’s Child. This allowed Beyonce to start her career in the music industry. The group’s song “Independent Women” spent 11 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and is considered one of the most recognizable songs with Beyonce's voice in it. Soon after, Beyonce went solo. Her first solo album “Dangerously In Love” sold 11 million copies. It later became number one and earned 5 Grammys. Her first tour “The Beyonce Experience” brought in $24 million as she visited 97 venues. In 2011 Beyonce was the first female solo to perform at Glastonbury in over 20 years. As a solo artist, Beyonce has sold over 13 million albums in the US and over 118 records worldwide. These sales are what makes her one of the best selling music artists of all time. Beyonce is also considered one of the highest paid women in the industry, coming in third, with $60 million. It is clear Beyonce has completely changed the music industry. Whitney Houston and Beyonce made a name for themselves and have represented black women while doing so.

Country Music: Kimbadonic

A large number of women singers in the country music genre have been influential to the industry through their success. Despite the popularity of male country artists and the discrimination that is displayed throughout their music, many female artists have worked their way past it, leading them to achieve multiple accomplishments.

Dolly Parton, a female country singer that has been in the industry for over 55 years, developed a successful career for herself. Parton consistently created new projects to release to her fans and was described as “unstoppable” by a pop culture magazine titled Rolling Stone. These projects include over 45 musical albums, multiple film features, a Dollywood theme park, and the creation of a production company.

Carrie Underwood, the iconic American Idol winner, also created a lasting impact in the country music genre. With over 251,000 units sold, Underwood's album Cry Pretty was her fourth album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 list. Blown Away, Play On and Carnival Ride were the other three albums that also reached the top of the charts. These achievements led her to become the first women singer to have four country albums as number one in the all-genre Billboard 200. Underwood had multiple other number ones throughout her career, surpassing many other popular artists, as she left a strong impact on the female country music industry.

A women’s rights activist and animal lover, Miranda Lambert, is another woman known to have a dominating career within the music industry. Her songs titled “Over You” and “Heart Like Mine” took over the Billboard charts and country music radio stations in 2010 and 2011. As a solo female artist, she writes her music through honesty and reality. The messages sent through her music are intended to help other women not to feel alone as they go through difficult life situations. Lambert uses the fame she has earned from the music industry and works with charities like the Humane Society as a way to give back.