TRACK 16: Black Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock and Roll

From the dawn of rock and roll and even before there have been female artists. Women like Ma Rainey pushed the envelope with the Dirty Blues and musicians like Sister Rosette Tharpe have been recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their influence. But where is the recognition for the dozens of other women of color who pioneered Rock and Roll, as well as R&B, Soul and Pop?  On this episode Kris talks with Maureen Mahon -Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at NYU whose new book ‘Black Diamond Queens’ highlights some of the lesser known voices in Rock and Roll's evolution, but whose stories have been largely untold until now.