Originally written for & published on Rocket Radio (David Sikorski for reference)

There are attempts by artists to capture the experiences and inequities of being a woman, and then there are the sonic triumphs that move the conversation forward. See: Caroline Spence’s “Softball,” from the Nashville artist’s sophomore LP, Spades and Roses. “Softball” is a song for the generation of women that simply want to play by the same rules as the men on every game and field in life- including Americana music.

While Caroline Spence may not have the road-hardened look of typical troubadours, her music proves she is every bit as serious. Spence’s music alone depicts her experience as a woman in a romantic-yet-jaded way, one that speaks to the all-too-real injustices of the gender gap. And she’s not alone.

Many of today’s top Americana singer-songwriters are in fact, women. Artists such as Aubrie Sellers, Margo Price, Michaela Anne and country-punk artist Lydia Loveless (to name a few) are following predecessors like Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris, and continuing to take big, bold strides into the male-dominated world of Americana music.

But making such strides does not come without costs. These artists all know a thing or two about the sexism women face in the music industry, especially in country, folk and Americana music. Music industry sexism still creeps in, from the topics they sing about to their appearances. For so long women have been focused on mostly for their looks and not the quality of their songwriting.

Though it’s still an uphill fight, times are changing. In 2016, AmericanaFest (the annual “roots” music festival) reported 90 female acts and 120 male acts, a much closer male-to-female ratio than most festivals on the circuit.

In the end, whether they’re tackling the gender gap in everyday life or simply singing about heartache the way boys do, today’s hard working female Americana musicians are stepping up to the mic with dirt-covered boots and an unwavering story to be heard by everyone.