ONLINE: After decades of popular songs being written mostly by men, women began to enter the profession. They were discouraged and denigrated by the male songwriters, but they persevered and joined the mainstream. By the 1960s, some women were being recognized as prolific songwriters. The marketplace tells the story. What sells can’t be denied. This course will cover many of these female songwriters. First were the women who wrote and sang hit songs in the country music category: Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian then made waves in the folk field. They were joined by mainstream pop song writers such as Carole King, Carly Simon, and Laura Nyro, and then in jazz by Nina Simone. The last prolific female songwriter to join the field is Taylor Swift. You will hear songs these women wrote that you may be unfamiliar with, and you will hear songs from female songwriters not mentioned above. The lyrics are the message, and women changed the cultural message with their words. | Lecture + Q&A.
Max enrollment: 40.
Class sessions are recorded.
