The first book devoted entirely to women in bluegrass,Pretty Good for a Girldocuments the lives of more than seventy women whose vibrant contributions to the development of bluegrass have been, for the most part, overlooked. Accessibly written and organized by decade, the book begins with Sally Ann Forrester, who played accordion and sang with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys from 1943 to 1946, and continues into the present with artists such as Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, and the Dixie Chicks. Drawing from extensive interviews, well-known banjoist Murphy Hicks Henry gives voice to women performers and innovators throughout bluegrass's history, including such pioneers as Bessie Lee Mauldin, Wilma Lee Cooper, and Roni and Donna Stoneman; family bands including the Lewises, Whites, and McLains; and later pathbreaking performers such as the Buffalo Gals and other all-girl bands, Laurie Lewis, Lynn Morris, Missy Raines, and many others.
Distinguished Achievement Award, International Bluegrass Musical Association (IBMA), 2015.
"A ground-breaking biographical and cultural history."--Publishers Weekly
"Henry guides the reader through an historical progression decade by decade, providing a detailed biography for a variety of well-known, lesser-known and obscure females who have devoted some of their lives to bluegrass music. Very highly recommended."--Bluegrass Europe
"This impressive history of women in bluegrass clearly indicates women have been a big part of bluegrass since its earliest days, even when they were ignored by the media an fellow musicians. A much-needed addition to the bluegrass canon."--Booklist
A fascinating history of bluegrass music from a female musician's perspective. Wonderfully readable, brisk in its sweeping chronology of a huge topic, and filled with anecdotal gems that brilĂ#
![Pretty Good for a Girl: Women in Bluegrass [Hardcover]](/itemImage/2/2/6/2/2_5218862.jpg "Pretty Good for a Girl: Women in Bluegrass [Hardcover]")