San Francisco Bay Times Pride Parade 2023 Contingent Will Highlight 50 Years of Women’s Music

In conjunction with this commemorative Pride issue, the San Francisco Bay Times Pride Parade 2023 contingent will highlight 50 years of Women’s Music—music by, for, and about women. The genre’s roots go back far longer than a half-century, but are largely associated with the artists and labels in the 1970s that fostered a lesbian-supportive musical movement. Many of these artists will be featured in this year’s Bay Times contingent.

Internationally acclaimed singersongwriter, actress, teacher, and activist Holly Near will be among those participating. In 1972, she founded the independent record label Redwood Records to produce and promote music by “politically conscious artists from around the world.”

She was one of the first women to found an independent record company. Her artistry and activism in the years that followed have earned her numerous honors including from the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Organization for Women, Ms. Magazine (Woman of the Year), the Legends of Women’s Music Award, and numerous others.

A year after Redwood Records was founded, ten women—including artists Cris Williamson and Meg Christian, as well as entrepreneur Judy Dlugacz—launched Olivia Records in 1973. During its twenty years of operation, Olivia Records sold more than one million records and produced over forty albums.

Olivia Travel today, under President and Founder Dlugacz, Co-Founder Rachel Wahba, and Vice Presidents Jill Cruse and Tisha Floratos, keeps the music flowing with its renowned entertainment. From fresh new talent like LP and Be Steadwell to legendary performers like Bonnie Raitt, Patti LaBelle, Sarah McLachlan, and Heart, Olivia Travel provides an unprecedented variety of women-focused talent.

During the Parade, Olivia’s DJ Rockaway (Tina Salano, who is married to Floratos), will be spinning tunes as the San Francisco Bay Times contingent’s official DJ. Silano is Olivia’s Digital Content Creator and resident DJ for the monthly Divas & Drinks event held at The Academy SF in the Castro.

The following Women’s Music artists and allies will also be in the Bay Times contingent:

Internationally recognized painter and printmaker Debra Walker, who is also an LGBTQ activist and a Commissioner for the City of San Francisco, created the cover for this Pride 2023 issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. The image celebrates Women’s Music: music by, for, and about women. In particular, it focuses on the past fifty years of this genre.

Debra Walker

Featured in the image are some of the most iconic and influential Women’s Music artists throughout this period: Margie Adam, Meg Christian, Barbara Higbie, Krissy Keefer and Dance Brigade, Holly Near, Vicki Randle, Linda Tillery, Cris Williamson, Julie Wolf, and others. In an exclusive piece for the Bay Times (see pages 6–7 of this issue), Margie Adam reflects on her life as a singer, songwriter, pianist, and activist. As she shares in the piece, she performed with Meg Christian, Holly Near, and Cris Williamson during a seminal 6-city, 9-concert tour. These four artists are therefore shown together on the cover. The background of the image was inspired by the 650-acre woodland site of the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival in Oceana County, Michigan. The music festival was founded by Lisa Vogel, her sister Kristie Vogel, and friend Mary Kindig. It was held annually from 1976 to 2015.

Walker has created other memorable covers for the Bay Times over the years. Regular readers of the paper may recall her artwork for

Joyce Baker

Ginny Berson

Mandy Carter

Melanie DeMore

Emma’s Revolution

Jean Fineberg

Lou Fischer

Judy Graboyes

Tammy Hall

Leslie Ann Jones

Sandy Linton

Amy Meyers

Sandy Morris

Sarah Bush Dance Project

Suzanne Shanbaum

Linda Tillery

Nancy Vogl

Debra Walker the cover of the June 25, 2015, Pride issue. It too celebrated Women’s Music, which emerged as a musical expression of the second-wave feminist movement as well as the labor, civil rights, and peace movements. http://www.debrawalker.com/

Sharon Washington and many more.

Look them up if you are not already familiar with their work! It would take volumes to do justice to their respective careers, which collectively include multiple Grammy Awards, groundbreaking firsts, and much more. Listen for them during the SF Pride Parade, as DJ Rockaway will bring her mic for impromptu singalongs and interactions with paradegoers.

The Bay Times contingent would not be complete without Sister Dana Van Iquity blowing kisses and photographer Rink capturing memorable moments, as he has for every San Francisco Pride Parade and even prior related events such as 1970’s Gay Liberation March. The Bay Times publishers, many other columnists, several advertisers, and supporters will also be in the 2023 contingent.

The San Francisco Bay Times extends special thanks to:

Karen E. Bardsley, Contingent Manager

Warren Alderson, Contingent Manager

Steve Harrison, Front Banners Manager

Juan R. Davila, Volunteer Troupe Coordinator

Jade Martner, Hospitality

Fran Herman & Audry deLucia, Production

Laura Martel & Marla Foreman, Vehicle Managers

Kevin Lively, Vehicle Manager

Holly Near, Melanie DeMore, and Linda Tillery, Women’s Music Coordinators

Autumn Nazaria, Logistics Coordinator for Olivia Travel

Olivia Passalacqua, Logistics Coordinator for NAPA Cellars and DJ Rockaway.

The Bay Times also gives thanks to this year’s contingent sponsors, many of which have also supported our past SF Pride Parade contingents:

NAPA Cellars

The UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health Extreme Pizza La Méditerranée Grubstake and Olivia Travel.

Join us on Sunday, June 25!

If you would like to be in this history-making SF Pride Parade contingent, please contact publisher@sfbaytimes.com