FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Spotlights #WomenWhoRock

Mary Wilson Tribute, New Podcast Episodes, Fam Jam, and Virtual Programming Celebrate Women’s History Month

CLEVELAND (March 9, 2020) – The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is commemorating Women’s History Month with a series of virtual events and programs that celebrate the achievements of some of music’s most notable female rockers. Hear stories about the #WomenWhoRock as they are highlighted throughout March with special programming and are featured in the Rock Hall’s exhibits.

Women played a central role in the development of the rock-and-roll genre, beginning with early artists, like Ma Rainey and , and gospel artist Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Spirited rhythm-and-blues singers – such as , LaVern Baker, and star Wanda Jackson added their creative talents to popular music through its explosive growth in the ‘50s. Girl groups, like the Shirelles and Supremes, and Rock Hall’s first female Inductee dominated the charts in the ‘60s while Janis Joplin, Grace Slick and Joni Mitchell carried the torch into the ‘70s. Artists such as Joan Jett, Ann Wilson, Debbie Harry, Pat Benatar, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, and Stevie Nicks paved the way for women in the ‘80s and ‘90s with their music and style. And, blazing a way through the 21st century includes the incredible voices of St. Vincent, Janelle Monae, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and new generations of trailblazers who were influenced by those before them.

The Rock Hall’s 2021 Nominee ballot is the most gender inclusive ballot in the organization’s history. It features even more trailblazers, including Carole King, , Dionne Warwick, The Go-Gos, Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige and Kate Bush. Fans can cast their votes now through April 30th for 2021 Inductees at rockhall.com.

Special virtual events and programs honoring #WomenWhoRock include:

March 13th @ 11 a.m. EST Virtual Fam Jam: Women’s History Month Watch on the Rock Hall’s YouTube page This month’s Virtual Fam Jam, presented by the John P. Murphy Foundation and hosted in partnership with The Cleveland Public Library, The Beck Center for the Arts, and The Children’s Museum of Cleveland, is all about women in rock. Enjoy free virtual music education activities, live performances, and story time. Plus, sign up for your free Rock Hall EDU account to access supplemental activity information including craft supply lists, activity worksheets, and instruction sheets.

March 19th @ 5 p.m. EST Joy Ride: 78th Street Studios Rock out to a female-fronted playlist at the 78th Street Studios. The Rock Hall’s branded Joy Ride van makes appearances at celebratory community events playing music for fans. Requests for Joy Ride appearances can be made to [email protected].

March 22nd @ 7 p.m. EST Reflections: Remembering Mary Wilson Follow and watch on Rock Hall’s Facebook and YouTube pages Celebrate the legacy of Mary Wilson of The Supremes during a special evening with archival footage of her past interviews and performances, hosted by Rock Hall’s Chief Curator Nwaka Onwusa with members of the Rock Hall staff sharing personal memories.

March 24th @ 7 p.m. EST *Virtual Member Exclusive* 2021 Nominee Spotlight Series Virtual Members can participate in this program that spotlights the 2021 Nominees. Each session includes special archival content from the Rock Hall’s vault and video collection, along with commentary by Rock Hall educators.

March 25th @ 7 p.m. EST Women in the Touring Music Industry Panel Follow and watch on Rock Hall’s Facebook and YouTube pages Hear from women who work with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees about the challenges and successes they have faced in their careers and how their lives and the music industry has changed in the past year. Featuring Carolyn Snell (John Mayer, Reba McIntire, Janet Jackson), Annie DiBiasi (Joan Jett, The Who, Heart) and Jessica Squire (Aerosmith, Def Leppard), moderated by Shelby Morrison, Director of Artist Relations & Curatorial Operations.

March 31st @ 7 p.m. EST *Virtual Member Exclusive* Album Spotlight: Carole King’s Tapestry & Tina Turner’s Private Dancer Explore classic albums like never before! Rock Hall experts will dive deep into two landmark albums, Carole King’s Tapestry (1971) and Tina Turner’s Private Dancer (1984), sharing special archival content from the Rock Hall’s vault and video collection. This program is exclusive to Rock Hall Virtual Members, who are encouraged to share their own stories & memories during the program.

Virtual Membership is $25 and allows fans to tap into the Rock Hall’s world class exhibits virtually, access exclusive artist stories, archival video footage and other exclusives. Sign up now at rockhall.com/membership.

Now Available New Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Vault podcast episodes Subscribe on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your favorite podcasts Enjoy podcast episodes with unfiltered access to iconic Induction speeches, including past episodes featuring influential women of rock with Stevie Nicks, Alicia Keys, Joan Jett, Miley Cyrus, Janet Jackson, Janelle Monae, Diana Ross, Ann Wilson, Mavis Staples, Lauryn Hill, Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Baez, Gladys Knick, and Mariah Carey.

Now Available New materials added to Rock Hall EDU Rock Hall EDU, free online learning resources Bring the spirit of Women’s History Month into your classroom with free materials and collections including The Supremes Collection, Whitney Houston Collection, Accidentals Collection, Mavis Staples Collection, Aretha Franklin Collection, and more. Sign up now for your free account to access these materials.

Now Available Rock Hall celebrates Women Who Rock on Spotify Listen, download and follow the Rock Hall’s latest playlists on Spotify featuring the most influential #WomenWhoRock from the 50s through the 90s.

Visit rockhall.com/events for details on the above Women’s History Month celebration.

About the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Rock Connects Us. Our mission is clear: To engage, teach and inspire through the power of rock & roll. We share stories of the people, events and songs that shape our world through digital content, innovative exhibits, live music, and engaging programs. Join the millions who love it as much as you do. Experience us live or online – Visit rockhall.com or follow the Rock Hall on Facebook (@rockandrollhalloffame), Twitter (@rockhall), Instagram (@rockhall) and YouTube (youtube.com/rockhall). Long Live Rock!

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