As the 1990s came to a close, country music’s biggest stars were women — Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Chicks ruled the charts.
Fast forward to 2021, and it’s “bro country” as far as the eye can see. Women are often the subjects of songs — wearing short shorts as they climb into pickup trucks. Women appear in as few as 10 percent of the songs on country radio. How did we get here? And how have women found ways to fight back and find paths for themselves? Writer and journalist Marissa R. Moss unpacks these questions and more.
At the top of the show, reporter Paige Pfleger talks about her recent story about women’s negative experiences with men in songwriting sessions.
Guests:
Paige Pfleger, WPLN arts reporter
Crys Matthews, singer/songwriter
Marissa R. Moss, author of Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be
Leah Turner, musician