Olivia Records
Encyclopedia
Olivia Records was a collective
founded in 1973
to record and market women's music
. Olivia, named after the heroine of a pulp novel by Dorothy Bussy
who fell in love with her headmistress at French boarding school, was the brainchild of ten lesbian-feminists
(the Furies Collective
and Radicalesbians) living in Washington, DC who wanted to create a feminist organization with an economic base.
Olivia was co-founded by Judy Dlugacz.
In 1973, the collective put out a 45 with Meg Christian
on one side and Cris Williamson
on the other. Yoko Ono
responded and said that she wanted to do a side project with Olivia, but the collective politely declined. Without making themselves dependent on any high-profile person, they made $12,000 with that 45, enough to put out singer Meg Christian
's first record, and soon after, Williamson's groundbreaking album The Changer and the Changed.
Sandy Stone was Olivia's sound engineer from ca. 1974-1978, recording and mixing all Olivia product during this period.
In 1977, after repeated attacks against homosexuals by activist and orange juice spokesperson Anita Bryant
, Olivia put out Lesbian Concentrate
, a collection of songs and poetry with part of the proceeds going to benefit the Lesbian Mothers National Defense Fund. Included on the 13 track LP is Meg Christian's "Ode To A Gym Teacher" and Sue Fink's "Leaping Lesbians".
Olivia moved first to Los Angeles
to stay on top of the burgeoning music scene and then to Oakland. The remaining five women of the collective, who had been pooling their money and even living together for the previous seven years, began to disperse. Olivia stopped putting out new records and instead performed a series of 15th anniversary concerts in 1988
. The two concerts at Carnegie Hall
in New York
were the largest grossing concerts at that venue in its history. Yet, The New York Times
barely mentioned the show.
Even though Olivia Records released world music
and salsa
records, they were most successful with acoustic solo acts, although sometimes they failed to identify mainstream talent. In 1985, singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge
, then a struggling Los Angeles artist, sent her demo to Olivia, but was ultimately rejected. Etheridge went on to become one of most popular female performers of the 1980s and arguably the most successful lesbian musician of all time. She saved the rejection letter, signed by "the women of Olivia," which was featured in Intimate Portrait
, the Lifetime Television
documentary of her life.
Unable to reinvent themselves for the changing musical landscape for women, from riot grrl to Lilith Fair
to Ani Difranco
, Olivia could no longer sustain itself as a record label.
Olivia Records founded Olivia
, the lesbian cruise line, in 1988.
Collective
A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
founded in 1973
1973 in music
-January–April:*January 9 – Mick Jagger's request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug conviction, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones' plans to perform in Japan during their forthcoming tour.*January 14...
to record and market women's music
Women's music
Women's music is the music by women, for women, and about women . The genre emerged as a musical expression of the second-wave feminist movement as well as the labor, civil rights, and peace movements...
. Olivia, named after the heroine of a pulp novel by Dorothy Bussy
Dorothy Bussy
Dorothy Bussy was an English novelist and translator.-Family background and childhood:Dorothy Bussy was a member of the Strachey family, one of ten children of Jane Strachey and the great British Empire soldier and administrator Lt-Gen Sir Richard Strachey...
who fell in love with her headmistress at French boarding school, was the brainchild of ten lesbian-feminists
Lesbian feminism
Lesbian feminism is a cultural movement and critical perspective, most popular in the 1970s and early 1980s , that questions the position of lesbians and women in society. It particularly refutes heteronormativity, the assumption that everyone is "straight" and society should be structured to serve...
(the Furies Collective
The Furies Collective
The Furies Collective began in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1971 to give a voice to lesbian separatism through its newspaper, The Furies. In the first issue in January 1972, contributor Ginny Berson gave voice to their view that:...
and Radicalesbians) living in Washington, DC who wanted to create a feminist organization with an economic base.
Olivia was co-founded by Judy Dlugacz.
In 1973, the collective put out a 45 with Meg Christian
Meg Christian
Meg Christian is an American folk singer associated with the Women's music movement.-Biography:She graduated from the University of North Carolina and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1969, where she performed in nightclubs and began writing material from an explicitly political and feminist perspective...
on one side and Cris Williamson
Cris Williamson
Cris Williamson is an American feminist singer-songwriter, who achieved fame as a recording artist, and who was a pioneer as a visible lesbian political activist, during a time when few who were not connected to the Lesbian community were aware of Gay and Lesbian issues...
on the other. Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
responded and said that she wanted to do a side project with Olivia, but the collective politely declined. Without making themselves dependent on any high-profile person, they made $12,000 with that 45, enough to put out singer Meg Christian
Meg Christian
Meg Christian is an American folk singer associated with the Women's music movement.-Biography:She graduated from the University of North Carolina and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1969, where she performed in nightclubs and began writing material from an explicitly political and feminist perspective...
's first record, and soon after, Williamson's groundbreaking album The Changer and the Changed.
Sandy Stone was Olivia's sound engineer from ca. 1974-1978, recording and mixing all Olivia product during this period.
In 1977, after repeated attacks against homosexuals by activist and orange juice spokesperson Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
, Olivia put out Lesbian Concentrate
Lesbian Concentrate
Lesbian Concentrate: A Lesbianthology of Songs and Poems is a compilation of music and spoken word by lesbian artists. It was released by Olivia Records in 1977 in response to Anita Bryant's anti gay rights campaign Save Our Children....
, a collection of songs and poetry with part of the proceeds going to benefit the Lesbian Mothers National Defense Fund. Included on the 13 track LP is Meg Christian's "Ode To A Gym Teacher" and Sue Fink's "Leaping Lesbians".
Olivia moved first to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to stay on top of the burgeoning music scene and then to Oakland. The remaining five women of the collective, who had been pooling their money and even living together for the previous seven years, began to disperse. Olivia stopped putting out new records and instead performed a series of 15th anniversary concerts in 1988
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
. The two concerts at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
were the largest grossing concerts at that venue in its history. Yet, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
barely mentioned the show.
Even though Olivia Records released world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
and salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
records, they were most successful with acoustic solo acts, although sometimes they failed to identify mainstream talent. In 1985, singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...
, then a struggling Los Angeles artist, sent her demo to Olivia, but was ultimately rejected. Etheridge went on to become one of most popular female performers of the 1980s and arguably the most successful lesbian musician of all time. She saved the rejection letter, signed by "the women of Olivia," which was featured in Intimate Portrait
Intimate Portrait
Intimate Portrait is a 1997 limited edition EP by Caedmon's Call, released to coincide with their major tour of 1997. It is an enhanced CD with video footage.-Track listing:# "Bus Driver" – 5:12# "April Showers" – 4:05# "Truth" – 5:53...
, the Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
documentary of her life.
Unable to reinvent themselves for the changing musical landscape for women, from riot grrl to Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
to Ani Difranco
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, guitarist, poet, and songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums, and is widely considered a feminist icon.-Biography:...
, Olivia could no longer sustain itself as a record label.
Olivia Records founded Olivia
Olivia (company)
Olivia is a travel company which sells cruises and resort vacations marketed towards lesbian customers. It was founded by Judy Dlugacz in 1973 as a women’s record label, Olivia Records. It offered its first all-woman cruise in 1990 and remains the only company in the world offering cruises catering...
, the lesbian cruise line, in 1988.
Artists
- Meg ChristianMeg ChristianMeg Christian is an American folk singer associated with the Women's music movement.-Biography:She graduated from the University of North Carolina and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1969, where she performed in nightclubs and began writing material from an explicitly political and feminist perspective...
- Tret FureTret FureTret Fure is an American singer-songwriter, prominent in the women's music scene.Fure started her career as a backing vocalist on rock albums by Spencer Davis and Little Feat, and released her self-titled solo debut album in 1973 on MCA Records...
- Kay GardnerKay Gardner (composer)Kay Gardner was a musician, composer, author, and musical producer involved in using music for creative and healing purposes. Her compositions include works for chamber orchestra, symphony orchestra, choir, flute, voice and piano...
- Leslie Ann JonesLeslie Ann JonesLeslie Ann Jones is a multiple Grammy Award-winning recording engineer working as Director of Music Recording and Scoring at Skywalker Sound, a Lucasfilm, Ltd. company. She is a past Chair of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Board of Trustees, the organization that awards Grammys...
- BeBe K'RocheBeBe K'RocheBeBe K'Roche is an American all woman electric rock band with Olivia Records. They are the first all woman band with the label which is the first woman-owned women's music label...
- Deirdre McCalla
- Pat ParkerPat ParkerPat Parker was an African-American lesbian feminist poet.-Early life:Parker grew up working class poor in Third Ward, Houston, Texas, a mostly African-American part of the city...
- Sandy Stone
- Linda TilleryLinda TilleryLinda Tillery is an American singer and percussionist from San Francisco.-History:Tillery first came to prominence as the lead singer in San Francisco group The Loading Zone in 1968-69...
- Lucie Blue TremblayLucie Blue TremblayLucie Blue Tremblay is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter, who performs music with lesbian themes. She writes and performs material in both English and French....
- Teresa TrullTeresa TrullTeresa Trull is an American female singer from Durham, North Carolina.Trull sang in churches as a child, and played in rock & roll groups in the early 1970s on the East Coast. Her debut album, The Ways a Woman Can Be, in 1977, and has recorded two albums with Barbara Higbie...
- Mary Watkins
- Cris WilliamsonCris WilliamsonCris Williamson is an American feminist singer-songwriter, who achieved fame as a recording artist, and who was a pioneer as a visible lesbian political activist, during a time when few who were not connected to the Lesbian community were aware of Gay and Lesbian issues...
- Margie AdamMargie AdamMargie Adam is an American musician and composer. Adam is one of the pioneers of the Women's Music movement.- Early life and education:...
- Woody Simmons
- Casse Culver
External links
- Comprehensive Radio Documentary and Discography From Queer Music Heritage website.
- http://www.archive.org/details/LesbianConcentrate