Synopses & Reviews
In this often fascinating, nostalgic, and thoroughly moving collection of 20 interviews, author LaShonda Katrice Barnett offers a rare glimpse into the careers of the world's prominent black women performing singers and songwriters. Marking an unprecedented exploration of the musical styles and careers of twenty black women performing songwriters, I Got Thunder represents practically all genres-folk, jazz, neo soul, hip-hop, rhythm and blues, and traditional blues. Barnett's interviews are accompanied by brief biographies and selected discographies for each of the influential artists included.Discussing their influences, inspirations and creative processes are: Abbey Lincoln, Angelique Kidjo, Brenda Russell, Chaka Khan, Dianne Reeves, Dionne Warwick, Joan Armatrading, Miriam Makeba, Narissa Bond, Nina Simone, Nona Hendryx, Odetta, Oleta Adams, Pamela Means, Patti Cathcart Andress (of Tuck and Patti), Shemekia Copeland, Shirley Caesar, Tokunbo Akinro, Toshi Reagon, and Tramaine Hawkins.
Review
"[W]hen critical discussion turns to musical authorship, particularly in genres outside of R&B, soul, or gospel, black women are likely to be overlooked....LaShonda Katrice Barnett recognized this notable gap in music history and criticism; her response, I Got Thunder: Black Women Songwriters on Their Craft, goes a long way toward giving black women songwriters their due....[A] significant addition to academic music criticism as an oral history and historical record of black musicians." Keidra Chaney, Bitch Magazine (read the entire Bitch Magazine review)
Synopsis
A pioneering, seminal collection of original interviews with 20 of the world's leading black female performing artists
About the Author
LaShonda Katrice Barnett, PhD, is in her third year of teaching in the History and Africana Studies departments at Sarah Lawrence College. She has won the Margaret Walker Award for Short Fiction by the College Language Association. Barnett has also formed her own acoustic band and recently recorded two independent records.