The eighth annual She Rocks Awards rocked the House of Blues Anaheim on January 17, 2020. Hosted by the Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN), the gala celebration featured a star-studded array of honorees that included Gloria Gaynor, Lzzy Hale, Linda Perry, Suzi Quatro, Beatie Wolfe and many other women from all corners of the music and audio industry.
The evening included inspiring live sets by the honorees, including Linda Perry, who gave an intimate, piano-based performance of “Not My Plan.” She then delivered a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar version of the hit she had written for Christina Aguilera, “Beautiful.”
Suzi Quatro rocked the house with her rendition of “Johnny B. Goode,” and Lzzy Hale of the heavy rock band Halestorm, kept the show’s energy in high gear, performing her band’s songs “I Get Off” and “I Miss the Misery.”
The grand finale came from the legendary Gloria Gaynor, who gave a rousing performance that included her GRAMMY-nominated track, “Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus,” from her new gospel album TESTIMONY, followed by her timeless anthem “I Will Survive,” which brought the capacity crowd to its feet.
Other performances during the evening included original songs from Beatie Wolfe with a touching tribute to hit songwriter Allee Willis who passed away on December 24. Co-host Mindi Abair performed a brand new unreleased song, "Where There's A Woman There's a Way," and the surprise award recipient Jenna Paone delivered an infectious performance of "Queens" from her upcoming release, Girl, the album.
Honoree Tal Wilkenfeld, who performed selections from her recent album, Love Remains, summed up the sentiment of the evening and of the She Rocks Awards during her speech, commenting, “When I’m on stage I’ve never thought to myself, 'I’m really feeling the groove here…for a chick.' Right now, we may be in a 'male dominated industry' because we’re outnumbered, but I’m pleased to see so many women choosing not to put up with being 'male dominated' in their personal or professional lives.” She continued, “Thank you to She Rocks, you’re a fantastic and necessary organization. I hope you will continue to inspire women, men, and the media at large, until the question asked is no longer, ‘What’s it like being a chick in this business,’ but, rather, ‘What’s it like being YOU in this business?’”
The full 2020 She Rocks Awards list of honorees:
- Gloria Gaynor, Legend Award – GRAMMY® Award-winning artist, GRAMMY Hall of Fame inductee, and the legendary voice behind the iconic hit “I Will Survive"
- Linda Perry, Powerhouse Award – Golden Globe, Critic's Choice-nominated artist, Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee, multi-platinum producer and former frontwoman for 4 Non Blondes
- Lzzy Hale, Inspire Award – GRAMMY Award-winning artist/songwriter and frontwoman for Halestorm
- Tal Wilkenfeld, Vision Award – chart-topping singer-songwriter and critically acclaimed bassist
- Suzi Quatro, Icon Award – pioneering bass player, singer, musician and actress who played the role of Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days
- Beatie Wolfe, Innovator Award – Singer-songwriter, pioneer of immersive music formats, UN Women role model
- Suzanne D’Addario Brouder, Champion Award – Director of the D’Addario Foundation
- Tara Low, Dreaming Out Loud Award- Music-based entrepreneur and editor and founder of Guitar Girl Magazine
- Myrna Sislen, Trailblazer Award – Owner of Middle C Music in D.C., classical guitarist, philanthropist, music educator
- Judy Schaefer, Excellence Award – Marketing Director at PRS Guitars
- Ebonie Smith, Mad Skills Award – Founder and President of Gender Amplified, Inc, and Atlantic Records audio engineer and producer
- Jenna Paone, Spirit Award – Singer/songwriter, performer and co-writer of Girl, the album
Co-hosting the event were Yahoo Entertainment music editor Lyndsey Parker and saxophonist-vocalist Mindi Abair, with an opening performance by Marshall Records’ artists, D_Drive, who came from Japan to join the evening.
WiMN founder, Laura B. Whitmore enthused, “This year’s event was over the top, and I couldn’t be more proud. From legendary honorees and heartfelt speeches to electrifying performances that had the audience on their feet, this was a night to remember.”
Find out more about the She Rocks Awards and the Women’s International Music Network at thewimn.com.
The 2020 She Rocks Awards was sponsored by Sweetwater, PRS Guitars, Marshall Amplification, Gibson, Tech 21, Reverb, NAMM, D’Angelico Guitars, Rat Sound Systems, Roland, Zildjian, Fishman, Sennheiser, D’Addario, Seymour Duncan, PreSonus, Shure, M.A.C Cosmetics, Monster Energy, Hippeas, Clif Bar, hint water, PRG, 108 Rock Star Guitars, iZotope, Soundgirls, Parade magazine, Premier Guitar, Guitar Girl Magazine, The Music & Sound Retailer, Music Inc. magazine, MusicNews, Guitar Player, Guitar World, Bass Player, Electronic Musician, Music Radar, KVR Audio, IK Multimedia, Future Publishing, and more.
About The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN)
Founded in 2012, the Women’s International Music Network unites women who work within all facets of the music and audio industries. With theWiMN.com as its hub, the WiMN provides a community for women within the industry while enriching their careers and musical experiences through networking and sharing. The Women’s International Music Network produces events such as the #SheRocksIt panel & networking series, WiMN She Rocks Showcases and the She Rocks Awards, and is founded by music industry veteran Laura B. Whitmore. For more information, visit www.thewimn.com.
