Spotlight On: JOAN SHELLEY

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S SHERO IN THE SPOTLIGHT:

It’s easy to lose sight of the power of simplicity. Given the mass availability of technology, and the competitive challenge of being heard, there’s something radical and even brave about recording and performing songs with minimal adornment. And when you hear songwriter and singer Joan Shelley, you are instantly reminded that less is more. Joan grew up on a horse farm in Kentucky, as one of four kids, and found solace singing along to the radio. She won a songwriting contest at age nine, sang in her school chorus, and began learning guitar in her early teens. After studying anthropology at the University of Georgia in Athens, she found herself immersed in a music scene back home in Louisville, co-founding a trio with two other women called Maiden Radio, who put out their first album the same year that Joan Shelley self released her solo debut, 2010’s Dawnlight. Now on the heels of releasing her seventh studio album, The Spur, Joan Shelley joins us as this week’s SHERO In The Spotlight.

Our playlist includes new music from Cyndi Lauper, who just re-recorded and released her 1993 abortion rights song “Sally’s Pigeons” in response to Roe V. Wade getting overturned. Hear the pro-choice anthems “Play God” from Ani DiFranco and “Our Problem” from Amanda Shires.

SHERO BIRTHDAYS: We celebrate the birthdays of SHEROES Angelique Kidjo and Blondie’s Debbie Harry on 7/1, plus Fontella Bass on 7/3!

This week’s Radio SHERO: Jet from 88.5 SoCal joins us this week, sharing the track “Punk” from Girl Ultra featuring Little Jesus.