New Organization “Rebelle Road” Looks to Expand Opportunities for Women in Country
There’s talk about what to do about the adversity women are facing in country music, and then there’s action. A new organization called Rebelle Road is looking to expand support and touring opportunities for women in country music by banding together knowledge and resources, and putting together events and other opportunities with women as the main attraction.
Founded by industry executive Karen Rappaport McHugh, who has helped to organize elements of the Stagecoach Festival and other events, along with artists KP Hawthorn and Adrienne Isom, Rebelle Road organized a gathering as part of 2018’s South By Southwest festivities in Austin on Wednesday March 14th, which included a panel about the issues plaguing women in country, and performances by artists young and old, up-and-coming and established.
Country, rock, and rockabilly legend Rosie Flores headlined the festivities along with speaking at the panel, and played a rousing set that resulted in standing ovations and boot scooting as she showed off some of her most recognized songs, as well as some new, more bluesy material ahead of an upcoming record. Austin notables T Jarrod Bonta and Jim Stringer also joined Rosie on stage, along with a 2-piece horn section.
California country artist and yodeler Alice Wallace began the performance portion of the event, and concluded with her new song “Elephants” which is very timely and resonant to the #TimesUp movement, and worked well as a cornerstone and conversation starter for the event. Austin’s Carson McHone featured songs from a finished album she’s looking to release soon. Jaimee Harris is another Austin performer who could have a big 2018 with an upcoming album, and brought an upbeat, retro sound to the festivities.
The Rebelle Road showcase had a little bit of everything, including songwriters such as Ali Holder, Christy Hays, and Jenny Van West, to raucous full bands like California’s Nocona, and Calico The Band. Nashville’s Ladies Gun Club also turned in a marquee set, backed by Aaron Lee Tasjan and his touring band.
True country was also well-represented at the event, with the younger Pearl Charles proving she’s one to watch. Emily Herring stunned with renditions of excellent songs such as “Last of the Houston Honky Tonk Heroes” and “Best Thing I’ve Seen Yet.” Her recent record Gliding is one to not overlook. And Austin bedrock performer Brennen Leigh also dazzled with songs old and new, including songs she’s had recorded by Sunny Sweeney and Lee Ann Womack. In the name of inclusion, Austin’s Chris Fullerton played songs from his 2017 record Epilepsy Blues.
Maybe most importantly during the event was a discussion panel that took place before the music, featuring Rosie Flores, journalist and author of the recent book Woman Walk The Line, Holly Gleason, Ladies Gun Club front woman and Café Rooster Record company owner Sally Jaye, TeXchromosome founder Penny Jo Pullus, and Founder/President 14 Inch Fringe Creative Artist Management Shilah Morrow.
Utilizing different perspectives on the same underlying issues, the women discussed the reasons women seem to be excluded from the modern country narrative, and what could be done to reverse the course. One important aspect often overlooked in the recent exclusion of women in executive and managerial roles in the music business. This in turn translates to lack of radio play and playlist consideration, and festival representation.
“Every meeting when I was having when I was 21 and 22-years-old seemed like I was giving a romantic invitation to the man I was meeting with,” said Sally Jaye of Ladies Gun Club, which is one of the reasons she chose to start her own record label.
Most importantly, the Rebelle Road event at SXSW was a starting point for the Los Angeles-based organization to expand the conversation and spread awareness in ways that will impact the music and support for women in the coming years, similar to other efforts like Change the Conversation in Nashville, and TeXchromosome in Texas. Beyond the traditional conversation starters and featuring of artists in live performances, Rebelle Road also wants to expand into TV and movie opportunities, and is also launching a podcast.
For a first-year SXSW event from a burgeoning organization, the Rebelle Road showcase was very well done, was well-curated with talent, and foretold of a strong organization open-minded to fresh ideas of how to solve systemic problems facing women in country.
More information can be found at RebelleRoad.com .
March 16, 2018 @ 5:50 pm
I’m behind them
March 17, 2018 @ 5:21 am
I’ve heard of none of these women.
I really don’t have any insight or opinions I just wanted to make sure you guys know I do read most of the articles and I’m going to start commenting to prove it.
not super on topic but kinda relevant is how performers have to dress.
I saw a pair of legs in that photo album and I think to myself “If that’s what she likes that’s great but how much of that is in stylistic appeal and how much is personal comfort?”
I think we need to get fashion out of the music business and let the performers come out in shorts, or maybe without shoes and just socks, or still wearing a coat if they want to.
March 17, 2018 @ 7:40 am
LOL….. their “style” of dress is an interesting topic. It applies to men also. Seems some want it to grab attention and some use it merely as a cover for modesty’s sake- there’s no accounting for taste- musically or stylistically. One man’s (or woman’s) trash is another man’s (or woman’s) treasure. I’ve not heard of any of these people- but then I’m not an aficionado. I thought Nacona was a Texas made boot. LOL
March 19, 2018 @ 11:18 am
Sure, men also dress for image, but there is greater pressure on women.
March 17, 2018 @ 7:57 am
Weird comment.
March 17, 2018 @ 11:54 am
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Soviet_Union#Censorship_of_images
March 17, 2018 @ 9:44 pm
This is not a governmental entity, this is my website, and I’ll do whatever the hell I want to with it. And whenever anyone uses extremely offensive language towards women, it’s getting deleted, every time. Don’t like it? Start your own website.
March 18, 2018 @ 12:11 am
n wut u sed about lil big town wudnt evry bit as offensive?
March 17, 2018 @ 8:38 am
…because that can of worms has been opened ….
very , very few country acts seem concerned with how they dress for performances today . I cannot think , off the top of my head , of an act outside of Kacey Musgraves and co who actually cares about enhancing performance with appearance ….which equals ‘ entertaining ‘ . Certainly more female than male artists/acts are more caring of how they present themselves . Guys mostly just look as though they purposely dress-down for shows . Urban’s cultivated look is always that of the disheveled , unwashed ,homeless liquor store busker , Church like a heroin addict pained by the lights and down to HIS last dime , many band-acts come across like Dead fans that just punched out of work after an exhausting Friday shift at the factory and stopped in for a quick jam on the way home …etc..
Not saying everyone should look like the Beatles on Sullivan …but man ….these hippie wannabes goin out of their way to dress down thinking they look like ‘ one of us ‘ at a tailgate party is just lazy and uninspired .
And yeah …I guess the women’s-fest is maybe a good thing for exposure . But as with the proposal to ensure that 50% of a festival roster MUST be female I can’t help feeling this may have a backlash if the talent doesn’t live up tho the gender .
March 17, 2018 @ 8:45 am
I’m just saying that a lot of performer’s have a cultivated image, Puke Bryan’s image is done by somebody, Dylan’s image was done by somebody. let the performer’s do their thing.
let them wear ugly sweaters or flannel or whatever.
I’m hoping flannel comes back big
March 17, 2018 @ 9:26 am
Jon Pardi had to fight with the label just to let him wear a Cowboy Hat for the cover shoot of California Sunrise. He obviously won and for a perfectly good reason, it fits his music and this album of incredible songs. That’s the way he takes the stage.
There’s literally no way for anyone to come onstage and wear or look like something original. It’s all been done but like someone above pointed out. So many don’t even give a fuck. The “I’ll let my music do the talking, so I don’t care how I present myself live or on an album cover” is ridiculous. Although it’s worked for Sturgill and a few others. This is a business. If an artist doesn’t care about making money and it’s a hobby good for them. The music and presentation have to be congruent though if you want to distinguish yourself among the throngs if you’re new. Especially for women because there’s so many new ones all the time.
March 19, 2018 @ 2:43 pm
for me the problem is that performers are under pressure to cultivate certain looks. I prefer the more authentic performers who dress more… reasonably, for lack of a better word.
when I saw Dailey and Vincent there wasn’t any nonsense or over the top dress, they had khakies and buttoned shirts.
Flamekeeper wore the same the first time i saw them and they were suits the last time.
on the one hand are people like Luke Bryan who are cultivating the “i’m trashy and don’t care” look even though we all know that’s done intentionally. on the other hand there are people who overdress.
March 18, 2018 @ 12:58 am
Dumbest thing I’ve read all day.
Thanks for that.
March 19, 2018 @ 8:02 am
I can see why you do not give insights or opinions. If I were you I would just shut up.
March 24, 2018 @ 11:22 am
Take a listen to Rosie Flores when you get a chance. She’s a gracious, talented Austin legend with 30+ years of great music packed in those boots. She ranges from rockabilly to honky tonk to jazz, all in her unique style. I stumbled across her cover of Big River on a Johnny Cash tribute album and have loved her stuff ever since.
March 17, 2018 @ 9:33 am
”The music and presentation have to be congruent though if you want to distinguish yourself among the throngs if you’re new. ”
again …i think kacey’s got it right . her music doesn’t SOUND like everyone else’s . she makes sure you remember her shows cuz they fon’t LOOK like anyone else’s
March 17, 2018 @ 9:44 am
I also am not familiar with any of these artists mentioned except Rosie Perez – and I live in Texas. I would be interested to hear if Trig has heard any of them perform and if there might be some bright futures ahead.
March 17, 2018 @ 9:56 am
I’ve covered a lot of these artists before, and a few were new for me.
I reviewed Emily Herring’s last record “Gliding” which is excellent:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-emily-herrings-gliding/
Reviewed Alice Wallace’s last single “Echo Canyon,” which is also great:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/alice-wallace-revitalizes-the-country-yodel-in-echo-canyon/
I’ve been covering Brennen Leigh for years. Her last official record was a Lefty Frizzell tribute:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/review-brennen-leigh-sings-lefty-frizzell/
Carson McHone and Jaimee Harris are considered two top names to watch out for in 2018. I thought Rebelle Road did an excellent job curating this lineup, and there wasn’t not a name on it I was unimpressed with, and isn’t worth delving deeper into.
March 17, 2018 @ 2:01 pm
Thanks – I’ll check them all out!
March 17, 2018 @ 6:48 pm
I saw Brennen Leigh (with Noel McKay) and Emily Herring both this afternoon in Austin. SCM is the first place I ever read abut Brennen a couple years back, and she’s really good. I’ve seen Emily play before in San Marcos. She brought a pedal steel player and a double bass player.
I haven’t seen Alice Wallace, but I saw Andrew Delaney who wrote “Elephants” sing it a couple of days ago.
March 17, 2018 @ 11:34 am
*Puts on popcorn eagerly awaiting Banananlise’s twitter feed*
March 17, 2018 @ 11:49 am
If Margo could get some more support, especially promotional, maybe her latest album would sell 20k copies.
March 17, 2018 @ 11:57 am
Are digital sales and streaming factored in to that? I mean, CDs are dead, and while Vinyl has a niche, it’s not as if it’s going to be a major unit shifter.
March 17, 2018 @ 11:06 pm
If Margo could get some talent, then I’d buy one copy. As it is, i never listen to her first one.
Now, if only Dori had some promotional support…..
March 17, 2018 @ 2:15 pm
What part of earth are you from. I live in Ireland and have heard of most of these ladies, in fact I have a lot of their albums. Crawl back into your hole and stay there.
March 17, 2018 @ 10:09 pm
All of these ladies are amazing. Jaime Harris is unreal. I first saw her at a Motown tribute in Austin and she sang the hell out of “If I Were Your Woman.” What a set of pipes.
March 18, 2018 @ 12:32 am
Trig, this is a crusade/obsession of yours that I don’t think most of your readers give a rat’s arse about.
I like Rosie Flores and Becky Hobbes and Rosanne Cash and Patty Loveless and Lee Ann Womack et al. I’d go to see any of them perform if I had the chance. But if they were pushing some “Bring-More-Women—Into-Country-Radio-and-Country-Music-Festivals” mission, it would only be likely to keep me away.
March 19, 2018 @ 1:08 pm
I feel exactly the same way. I am so tired of this diversity / inclusion obsession every where I look. There are- and have always been a ton of extremely talented and well recognized women in country. I don’t believe that it’s any harder for them to make it than it is anyone else.
March 21, 2018 @ 12:33 am
Take a look at any festival lineup, any radio playlist, any venue booking series and then make the same statement. There are equally talented and amazing female artists who aren’t being heard because they don’t get the opportunity and this goes way back to the days of Rose Maddox. Kudos to Trigger and others who recognize this and are pushing for more diversity.
April 5, 2018 @ 9:24 am
I’m not sure how more male artists in festival lineups is going to prove that there is systemic sexism in the country music industry. Some of the most well known, popular and well paid country acts are women or include women
March 18, 2018 @ 4:10 pm
We are living in the golden age of performing female songwriters, country or otherwise. For whatever reason, women today are writing and performing most of the best songs.