We've done this twice in the past, starting in 2010 with a podcast honoring pioneer female rockers and proto-rockers, starting in the 40's.
2012's tribute looked at early female country singers who came along before Patsy Cline or Kitty Wells.
We have 12 numbers for this week, and of course there were some we didn't have room for, but worthy of note. Here are two:
Bessie Smith singing her 1927 composition "Backwater Blues," accompanied by the great stride pianist James P. Johnson.
"The Way You Look Tonight" was a collaboration between lyricist Dorothy Fields, who also co-wrote "Exactly Like You" and "Pick Yourself Up" with Jimmy McHugh writing the melody. She co-wrote "The Way You Look Tonight" with an even heavier hitter: Jerome Kern. This is a 2004 version by jazz vocalist Madeleine Peyroux with William Galison on harmonica.