Hot Licks: Lesbian Musicians of Note

Janet Money, formerly the sports editor of the Woodstock Daily
Sentinel-Review, is a freelance writer and editor in London, Ontario.

These profiles of some two dozen lesbian musicians are funky, funny, and
informative. Besides the profiles (which consist of either interviews or
short pieces by the musicians), there are photos, discographies, song
lyrics, vital stats, and information on fan club/Internet access.

Melissa Etheridge is not included (the editor does not say why), but
k.d. lang is here, along with Phranc, Random Order, Tribe 8, Ferron,
Janis Ian, Azucar y Crema, the Wyrd Sisters, and more. On coming out,
newcomer Nedra Johnson observes, “My only idea about possibly being a
lesbian was that I’d have to wear work boots.” Veteran Cris
Williamson describes coming out as a slow, gradual process.

It’s a measure of social progress that so many lesbian musicians are
“out” enough to want to be included in such a collection. Ten years
from now, if that progress continues, the idea of such a collection
might seem ridiculous: sexuality may just not be such a big deal to the
general public.