Dedicated to celebrating women working in the music industry, the sixth annual She Rocks Awards (Jan. 26) carried even more of an urgent tone this year in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Presented and produced by the Women’s International Music Network (WIMN), the sixth annual ceremony rolled out before a packed audience at the House of Blues in Anaheim, Calif.
Before getting down to the business of honoring trailblazers such as Pat Benatar, Melissa Etheridge, the B-52s and Exene Cervenka, among others, WIMN founder and awards co-host Laura B. Whitmore talked about the organization’s ongoing mission. “I feel like we are finally being heard,” said Whitmore to applause. “From the beginning, the She Rocks Awards has focused on bringing women together to share, to empower and to enlighten. We must continue to build on the progress we have made. As we advocate, educate and inspire women in the music industry, we seek to bring women together to create a larger voice.”
Then it was time for the awards, with Whitmore’s co-host and KROQ Los Angeles DJ Kat Corbett noting that the icons being saluted are “the posters on my wall come to life.” Unfortunately, rock pioneer and Grammy Award winner Pat Benatar was sidelined by the flu and wasn’t there to receive her Legend Award. But among the honorees in the house was fellow Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge. Presented with the Icon Award, Etheridge distilled the essence of the evening through her illuminating comments.