Eight artists perform songs about women, by women, for everyone.
(Portland, Ore.) – Eight Oregon singer-songwriters, backed by a great band, comprise a dynamic and joyful new show, She’s Speaking-LIVE, hitting the road in March to commemorate Women’s History Month.
“She’s Speaking-LIVE celebrates women’s artistry; the power of women’s voices and stories,” said co-founder and Portland singer-songwriter Bre Gregg. “It’s a rare opportunity to experience this diverse group of artists – jazz, R&B, indie, gospel, Americana, folk, blues – coming together for a performance that inspires and connects us, lifts us up.”She’s Speaking-LIVE shows for Women’s History Month are scheduled as follows: 7 pm, Saturday, March 18: Lincoln City Cultural Center, Lincoln City, Oregon 2 pm, Sunday, March 19: Loucks Auditorium at Salem Public Library, Salem, Oregon 8 pm, Saturday, March 25: The Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, Oregon 4 pm, Sunday, March 16: River City Playhouse, Ilwaco, Washington (trio show)Tickets for all locations and additional information here.
Arietta Ward has been referred to as the “1st Daughter of Funk and R&B,” as well as the “Rip City Soul Funk Diva.” Known to many as “Miz Etta,” she is definitely a musical force to be reckoned with; her performances are filled with joy, authenticity, passion, and humor. Miz Etta is also the daughter of NW music royalty, the late Janice Marie Scroggins.
Bre Gregg is the voice of Red Bird, a soul band with elements of blues, rock and funk added to the mix creating their own unique and distinct sound. Their debut album, Live It All, showcases the band’s musical maturity that breathes new life into music today. Find No Enemy says, “This is soul rock re-invented and reignited with a passion and dexterity like few can compare to.”
Kristen Grainger is the soul and voice of Americana string band Kristen Grainger & True North. With three albums that hit #1 on folk and roots radio charts, she has won seven national songwriting awards and was named, with Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton, one of the “Women Who Wrote Our 2020 Soundtrack” by The Bluegrass Situation.
LaRhonda Steele is a gospel singer and songwriter recognized as one the region’s best rhythm and blues vocalists. She has been dubbed “The First Lady of Portland Blues”—a title she lives up to, sharing songs issued directly from her spiritual life-force. In 2018, she was inducted into the Cascade Blues Society Hall of Fame as the Duffy Bishop Best Female Vocalist.
Beth Wood is a modern-day troubadour, award-winning poet, and believer in the power of word and song. Beth has been writing, performing, recording, and teaching full-time for twenty-four years — delighting and inspiring audiences with her exceptional musicianship, intelligent writing, powerhouse voice, and warm and commanding stage presence.
Liz Chibucos, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and sound engineer, was recently dubbed “Jimi Joplin” by some fans because she combines soulful, bluesy vocals with intricate, hard-hitting guitar work. She performs with groove-based electric funk-rock band Far Out West and plays guitar with Portland’s Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters.
Naomi LaViolette’s musical style is piano-driven folk-pop with elements of classical and jazz. Her roots are deep in classical music – she has a master’s degree in classical piano performance – but she has also immersed herself in the study of jazz standards, folk songs, soul, pop and gospel.
Lisa Mann’s vocals effortlessly straddle the line between the honey-sweet warmth of the South and the force-of-nature sound she has cultivated by mastering everything from hard rock to rhythm and blues. Her clever blues and Americana balladry is complimented by her considerable prowess on bass guitar.
She’s Speaking (short video at link) creates platforms where women’s voices and artistry can be heard by all people. Oregon songwriters Beth Wood, Bre Gregg and Kristen Grainger are frustrated with the long-standing underrepresentation of women in key aspects of the music industry, as well as recent news that algorithms for major music streaming platforms and radio airplay favor male artists.
Despite a global pandemic and geographic challenges (Bre is from Portland, Kristen from Salem, and Beth from Sisters), the three began brainstorming ways to help women succeed in an industry not intended for them.
Since the pandemic limited in-person events, they decided to start by creating a YouTube channel dedicated to elevating women’s songwriting, promoting “songs written by women, about women, for everyone.” They dubbed the project – and the channel – She’s Speaking, a nod to Vice President Kamala Harris’ now-famous line, “I’m speaking!” from the 2020 vice presidential debate.
In addition to live shows and workshops, She’s Speaking uses social media to promote women artists and raise awareness about underrepresentation and discrimination, including harassment and assault, in the music industry.
She’s Speaking’s YouTube channel has curated songs from more than 60 women artists from all over the country, including Lady A (WA), Susan Gibson (TX), Natalie Jean (Washington, D.C.), Cosy Sheridan (UT), Anna Tivel (OR), and Gabrielle Louise (CO), to name a few. The artists were invited to contribute music videos – often created on smartphones due to pandemic constraints – of the songs they’d written about women who inspired them. New videos are added regularly.
From blues to folk to jazz to indie rock, these songs celebrate grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and daughters as well as public figures such as Jane Goodall, Georgia O’Keefe, Bessie Smith, Amanda Gorman, Gov. Kate Brown, Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Oliver, Maya Angelou, Aretha Franklin, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
