By Valerie Milano and Judy Shields
Anaheim, California (The Hollywood Times) 04/15/2023 – The Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN) turned it up at the 11th annual She Rocks Awards at The Ranch in Anaheim, CA. It was a night celebrating music, and creativity and honoring the careers and accomplishments of a diverse and inspiring group of women representing all areas of the music industry. The night kicked off with a set from the Juno Award-Winning Toronto-based band The Beaches and opening remarks from the founder of the Women’s International Music Network and She Rocks co-producer Laura Whitmore.
These women join the recently announced distinguished honorees for the 2023 She Rocks Awards: Iconic singer Judy Collins, Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage, and hit songwriter Shelly Peiken. “During International Women’s Month, I like to give thanks to organizations like THE SHE ROCKS AWARDS who highlight women excelling in the music industry today and every day,” says Judy Collins. “I have been a working musician for over six decades and I know first hand how important supporting women in music is. It’s vital to our creativity and our economic growth. It’s a great honor to be part of the group of talented women being honored on April 13.”
The red carpet had many on the honorees and performers. It was a cold and very windy early evening and although The Hollywood Times was there on the red carpet, we were not aware that the wind was going to interfere with our microphone, so to say the least, the interviews are at times scratchy and hard to hear. Our apologies for that. Members of the Beaches rock band, Mary Spencer, Shelly Peiken, Lisa Johnson, Katherine Wigg and Gretchen Menn were some that we spoke with.
Once we all went inside to escape the cold wind, we were invited to have a delicious dinner with a few different types of salads, amazing mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, potato gnocchi with peas, grilled chicken and butter and rolls.
The first performance of the night was The Beaches Band featuring Jordan Miller, Kylie Miller, Leandra Earl and Eliza Emman-McDaniel. They were really good and got the crowd clapping along.
Here is a short video of their performance:
Photos Courtesy of She Rocks
- Judy Collins – Platinum-selling singer/songwriter icon whose landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame
- Noelle Scaggs – Co-frontperson for the multi-platinum band, Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage
- Shelly Peiken – GRAMMY-nominated, chart-topping hit songwriter
- Mary Spender – guitarist, singer, songwriter and YouTube star
- Michelle Bell – VP of Creative for Roc Nation
- Lisa S. Johnson – photographer and author of 108 Rock Star Guitars and Immortal Axes
- Katherine Wing – VP of Marketing for Roland, drummer
- Stacey Ryan – Chief Operating Officer for School of Rock
- Helen Culleton – Chief Operating Officer for Audiotonix
Hosted by PRS Guitars, this year’s opening performer will be Canada’s own Juno award-winning alternative act, The Beaches. Their latest single, “Grow Up Tomorrow,” spent 7+ weeks at Number 1 on Alternative Radio, and Elton John described their last album as “The best rock album of last year.”
This year’s event is co-hosted by former She Rocks Awards honoree Lisa Foxx, radio host for myFM and iHeartRadio, and Aijia Grammer, LA-based, pop songwriter, vocal producer and musician.
GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum hit songwriter and “Dreaming Out Loud” Honoree Shelly Peiken encouraged the crowd “to not be afraid to grow up.” “I’m just finding my time at this point in my career,” said Peiken. “And there are many more adventures ahead. It’s truly an honor to be in the company of giants past, present, and future.”
Powerhouse Honoree Noelle Scaggs, of Fitz & the Tantrums, spoke on her inspiration for starting the organization Diversify the Stage, “I wanted young people to feel like they had a place in the industry,” said Scaggs. “It’s incredible to see our community standing up in ways I never got to see growing up; women are in greater positions of power to build new ways of thinking and actions that are truly moving the needle and bringing confidence to young people who may have felt they didn’t have a place here, or that the glass ceiling could never be broken. It’s important that young people see their reflections in this industry, to have people who share their identities, who have a familiar journey, this is what the DTS mission is, ensuring no human will ever feel dis-included in this space, because they see their reflections, in front and behind the scenes.”
Champion Award honoree, COO of the School of Rock Stacey Ryan, spoke about the work needed to be done to elevate more women into executive positions, and the importance of organizations like the Women’s International Music Network, for mentoring young up-and-coming women in the music industry. Her award acceptance was followed by a show-stopping performance by an all-female School of Rock Band performing En Vogue’s anti-prejudice anthem “Free Your Mind.”
The night culminated with a performance from acclaimed powerhouse guitarist and She Rocks Inspire Award recipient Gretchen Menn, who led her band in an original song followed by a show-stopping rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” with fellow Zepparella member Holly West on bass and stunning lead vocals helmed by guest Laura Clapp.
The 2023 She Rocks Awards is sponsored by Positive Grid, Sweetwater, PRS Guitars, Reverb.com, Monster Energy, Shure, Roland, Martin Guitar, Berklee College of Music, D’Addario, D’Angelico, DiGiCo, dw Drums, DiGiCo, Earthquaker Devices, Fishman, Hit Like a Girl, 108 Rock Star Guitars, Korg, MAC Cosmetics, Manley Labs, NAMM, Sennheiser, Taylor, WRiiG, AXS TV, Parade, Music Connection and Guitar Girl Magazine.
About The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN)