Prior to my hosting my own radio show, The Lesbian Power Authority (LPA), I was trained to do radio by Sharon Jaffe and Catherine and Bo Azora-Minda as part of the “We Want You to Know” Collective (WWYTK).

According to the Minnesota Women’s Press, KFAI “provides the largest block of air time
devoted to women’s programming in the country.” The two-hour program “We Want
You to Know” airs weekdays and features music and news produced and announced
entirely by women. — From A HISTORY OF KFAI 90.3, FRESH AIR RADIO, 2009 – www.mnbs.org/KFAI%20Timeline_final.pdf

When KFAI radically changed their on-air programming schedule, WWYTK dis-banded and was replaced by several individual programs, including my own LPA.

While WWYTK existed, I was able to develop and practice my programming skills. These early shows show the direction of my future lesbian programming. My first two shows in mid-1993 featured lesbian music nostalgia — A Retrospective of “Women’s Music” from the 1970s! I was so nervous my first few shows that I actually wrote out a script of that I would say:

6.28.1993 – We Want You to Know – Hosted by Mev
Good morning. My name is Mev and this is the Monday morning edition of “We Want You to Know.” What you just heard was “Mountain Moving Day” by the Chicago Women’s Liberation Rock Bans. It’s from an album by the same name which features both the Chicago and New Haven Women’s Liberation Bands. As far as I know, this record – that came out in 1972 – 20 years ago — was the first recording of what has become known as “women’s music.”

Well, in honor of Pride Month, and specifically for lesbian pride, today I’m going to play woen’s music from women’s labels recorded between 1972-1979. Much of it. of course, is by lesbians and it’s hard to believe that it’s been around long enough to be considered “oldies”. Oh no! I can now have nostalgia!

Often when someone talk about early women’s music, many of us think of Meg, Holly, Cris, maybe even Alix, Kay, and Margie! Or we think of white girls playing solo with guitars. Well, to some extent that’s true – but in looking back over the older albums, I found that, in fact, especially into the late 70s, there were a variety of styles, groups, cultures, and yes, opinions. Styles include rock, blues, country, folk, jazz, instrumental, soul, spirituals and even disco! We find songs of love, songs that tell stories, some express pain, most speak of lesbian pride – women’s strength and endurance. Many are joyous, gentle, angry, political – but always they are about women, by women, and for women.

On June 28 and July 2, 1993, I featured music recorded on women’s labels prior to 1980. Here are those shows.

WWYTK – June 28, 1993

Part 1: 46:30

• Chicago Women’s Liberation Band – Mountain Moving Day (1972)
• Meg Christian – Valentine Song (1974)
• Willie Tyson – I Don’t Miss No One (1974)
• Alix Dobkin – View from Gay Head (1975)
• Kay Gardner – Prayer to Aphrodite (1975)
• Cris Williamson – Sweet Woman (1975)
• Flying Lesbians – I’m a Lesbian (1975 – from Germany)
• Margie Adam – Sleazy (1976)
• Be Be K’Roche – Kahlua Mama (1976)
• Berkeley Women’s Music Collective – Bloods (1976)
• Teresa Trull – Woman Loving Women (1977)

 

Part 2: 36:48

• Gwen Avery – Sugar Mama (1977)
• Linda Tillery – Wonderful  (1977)
• Therese Edell – Mama Let Your Children Go (1977)
• Baba Yaga – Rise Again (1978)
• Mary Watkins – A-Chording to the People (1977)
• Holly Near – Imagine My Surprise (1978)
• Maxine Feldman – Amazon (1979)
• Izquierda – Sisters Take Care (1979)

 

WWYTK – July 2, 1993

Part 1: 42:41

• (Played but not on recording: Holly Near – You Bet)
• June Millington – Ladies on the Stage ( 1978)
• Robin Flower – Go for the Good Times (1979)
• Meg Christian – Joanna ( 1974)
• Witch Is Witch – Marlene (1979 – from Germany)
• Malvina Reynolds – We Don’t Need the Men (1975)
• Alix Dobkin – Amazon ABC (1976)
• Willie Tyson – You’d Look Swell (1979)
• Isis – Give It Up! (1977)
• Janis Ian – At Seventeen (1975)
• Ferron – Out in the Ozone (? – from Canada)
• BeBe K’Roche – Gotta Make Something of My Life (1976)
• Cris Williamson – Waterfall (1975)

 

Part 2: 43:37

• Linda Tillery – Freedom Time (1977)
• Sweet Honey in the Rock – Joanne Little (1976)
• Mama Quilla – Mama Quilla (1977)
• Sara Gonzalez – Que Dice Usted? (1978 – from Cuba)
• Woody Simmons – Oregon Mountains ( 1977)
• Heather Bishop – Prairie Wind (1977 – from Canada)
• Casse Culver – Sacred River (1976)
• Jeriann Hilderly – Through Your Blue Veil (1978)
• Flying Lesbians – Matriarchy Blues (1975 – from Germany)
• Deadly Nightshdae – Losin’ at Love (1975)