Olivia Records pioneers Judy Dlugacz and Cris Williamson received the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive [Achievement] from the Americana Music Association during the American Honors and Awards ceremony held on September 12 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
Upon accepting the prestigious award, Dlugacz said, in part, “I’m proud of the Americana Music Association for this honor. It takes courage to recognize what we did.”
Olivia Records, founded in 1973, was the creation of her, Williamson and other lesbian feminists who desired to record and market women’s music. In 1988, the company founded Olivia, the lesbian cruise line that, like Dlugacz and Williamson, is still going strong.
Williamson at the ceremony noted, “We’ve sold out Carnegie Hall three times. This is the first time we’ve been acknowledged by the industry.” She added, “A woman singing to another woman … . It’s not such a big deal now, because now love is love is love.”
She then offered this sage advice: “Love something, love someone. Otherwise you’re not a human being.”
Recent Comments