Cultural Manifesto

This week on Cultural Manifesto, celebrate Women’s History Month by learning about the women pioneers of Hoosier music, including Vivian Carter, Dena El Saffar, Mary Byrne, Priscilla Mclean, Margaret Hills and Anna Mae Winburn. Vivian Carter was a legendary disc jockey and co-founder of Gary, Indiana’s Vee Jay Records. Vee Jay released hit songs by artists including The Impressions, The Dells, Gladys Knight, John Lee Hooker, and Gene Chandler. Vee Jay also issued significant jazz and gospel titles, including the first full-length LP by the Staple Singers, and Wayne Shorter’s debut album as a leader. In February of 1963 Vee Jay became the first American record label to issue music from The Beatles. Vee Jay’s release of ”Please Please Me” pre-dated The Beatles’ first Capitol Records release by a year. Mary Byrne is the founder of Labyris, an influential feminist lesbian bar that operated in Downton Indianapolis from 1978-1984. During the 1980s, Byrne also served as director of the National Women’s Music Fes