San Francisco Bay Times to Present Record-Breaking Gathering of Women’s Music Stars at Pride

The largest ever assemblage of Women’s Music stars in a Pride Parade contingent will take place at the 2015 San Francisco Pride Parade in honor of the 40th anniversary of both the National Women’s Music Festival and the Michigan Womym’s Music Festival.

The genre, supported by countless men as well, consists of music that is by women, for women, and about women. The San Francisco Bay Times, when founded in 1978, became the first LGBT newspaper to be created jointly and equally by gay men and women working together. To this day, women remain underrepresented in San Francisco’s LGBT culture, so we honor our tradition with this year’s historic contingent.

The gathering will follow San Francisco Pride 2015 Community Grand Marshal Judy Dlugacz, who is the President and Founder of Olivia. The company began as groundbreaking Olivia Records in 1973, and later became Olivia Travel in 1990.

Here are just some of the musicians, performers and other music industry professionals who will be in the San Francisco Bay Times and “Betty’s List” contingent:

Linda Tillery- Grammy Award nominee Tillery first came to prominence as the lead singer in the San Francisco-based band The Loading Zone in the late 60’s. As a drummer for Santana and a producer at Olivia, she gained further acclaim. She was an original member of Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra and founded the Cultural Heritage Choir. In 2014, Tillery received the Community Leadership Award from the San Francisco Foundation. She will be leading a women’s drumming circle and sing-along during the Pride event.

Leslie Ann Jones- Multiple Grammy Award-winning recording engineer Leslie Ann Jones is Director of Music Recording and Scoring at Skywalker Sound. She is a past Chair of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Board of Trustees. Jones, who has produced many Women’s Music recordings over the years, was the first woman assistant engineer to be hired at ABC Studios in Los Angeles. She was also the first female National Officer of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Melanie DeMore- Another Grammy Award nominee, DeMore was also a founding member of the Cultural Heritage Choir. She has been a formidable presence onstage at such noted venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and international folk music festivals from Europe to Cuba to New Zealand. She has also taught and mentored many aspiring musicians, such as recording artist Goapele.

Carolyn Brandy- Over the last 35 years, Carolyn Brandy has become a legendary San Francisco Bay Area percussionist, educator and cultural worker. She has been visionary in her quest to bring women into the world of percussion and drumming, and is one of the foremothers of the current Movement of Women Drummers and the non-profit organization Women Drummers International. Brandy was a co-founder of the Jazz Quintet Alive! She founded Sistah Boom, and is the co-creator of the Born to Drum Women’s Camp for Women Drummers.

Barbara “Boo” Price- Producer of one of the first Women’s Music concerts highlighting the work of lesbian artists, Price has helped to launch and promote the careers of countless women musicians. With musician Margie Adam, Price co-founded Pleiades Records and began Women in Production, a production company that trained other women producers and technicians. For two decades, Price ran the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club, where many important Women’s Music concerts and related events were held. Price will be co-leading the sing-along at Pride with Tillery and is helping to produce the event.

Mary Watkins- Trailblazer Watkins was a staff member at Olivia Records and has since gone on to win numerous awards and commissions for her music. From performing jazz to composing operas and film scores, Watkins continues to amaze with her breadth of talent and impressive skill.

Jen Foster- Nashville-based recording artist Foster is both a producer and musician. Her music has been featured in multiple well-known films and television shows, airing on networks such as MTV, HBO and ABC. She has won numerous awards over the years, such as the 2006 OUT Music Awards Song of the Year, LOGO Channel’s Best of 2008, and the 2012 RightOutTV Best Pop Rock Adult Contemporary Award.

Karen Williams- A talented and perceptive stand-up comic, Williams has been featured on HBO, PBS and other television networks. Williams is also a columnist for the San Francisco Bay Times, and for years has performed on Olivia cruises, often opening for Women’s Music entertainers. The International Institute of Humor and Healing Arts (HaHa Institute) is the brainchild of Williams, who uses laughter and entertainment to help, heal and educate others.

Woody Simmons- A music producer for film, television and other artists, Simmons is well known as a musician too, and particularly for her skill as a guitar and banjo player. In 1988, FRETS Magazine named Simmons’ classic album “Oregon Mountains” as one of the 12 landmark banjo albums of all time. If you hear music in a Suze Orman program on television, it likely was produced and played by Simmons.

Anna Maria Flechero- Singer/songwriter Flechero is the recipient of the Jazz Group of the Year award from the Bay Area Blues Society, 2007. Her music, popular around the world, has been featured in compilations that include other well-known artists such as Nina Simone and Norah Jones. A member of the San Francisco Filipino-American Jazz Festival, Flechero continues to support Women’s Music and women in jazz.

Ellen Seeling- The first woman to earn a degree in Jazz Studies from Indiana University, Seeling has been a groundbreaker ever since. One of the most famous women jazz trumpet players of all time, Seeling has performed with both Women’s Music artists and musicians such as The Temptations, Ben E. King, Patti LaBelle, Sister Sledge and many more. In addition to maintaining an active performing and recording schedule, Seeling teaches music at the University of California, Berkeley, and The Jazzschool in Berkeley. She continues to fight for equality in jazz, such as recently ensuring that blind auditions take place at the male-dominated Jazz at Lincoln Square Orchestra.

Sharon Washington- Sharon and her identical twin Sandra perform as The Washington Sisters. They have performed hundreds of concerts, including at Women’s Music events, and also other music and cultural festivals in the U.S. and Canada. Their blend of a cappella, jazz swing, blues, gospel, and island rhythms provides a unique basis for their message of peace, women’s rights, pride, and cultural diversity.

Jean Fineberg- A saxophonist, flutist and drummer, Fineberg specializes in r&b, soul, funk, jazz, rock, reggae, New Orleans and related styles. She has recorded and toured with David Bowie, Luther Vandross, Laura Nyro, Bo Diddley and numerous others. Fineberg teaches at The Jazzschool and is the recipient of many honors and awards, such as the ASCAP Composers Award.

Afia Walking Tree- The founder of Spirit Drumz, Afia Walking Tree is an artist-educator who specializes in traditional West African and Afro-Caribbean music. Through music, cultural, environmental awareness and spiritual teachings, she promotes diversity and helps to build stronger, more eco-friendly communities. Afia Walking Tree is also a popular performer at Women’s Music concerts and festivals.

Page Hodel- Legendary DJ Page Hodel created San Francisco’s longest-running gay dance parties, Club Q (for women) and Box (for all genders). She was the first female mixer on major market radio. Hodel, in collaboration with Linda Tillery and Boo Price, is creating the San Francisco Bay Times Pride Contingent song set list.

Joining these and many other well known musicians will be members of at least three renowned women-run dance companies: Krissy Keefer’s Dance Brigade, Sarah Bush Dance Project, and World Latin dance champion Helen Vazquez and dancers.

Members of the San Francisco Bay Times team as well as supporters will also be in the contingent. The San Francisco Bay Times is the oldest and largest fully LGBT owned and funded newspaper for the LGBT community in Northern California.

Special thanks to singer/songwriters and producers Holly Near, Cris Williamson and Barbara Higbie for their help in creating this historic Pride Parade contingent.