GoGirls Gone Wild
Local Music Organization Celebrates a Birthday

Mark Williams
Music Editor

In 1996, Sugarland resident Madalyn Sklar had a vision of bringing together female musical artists from all around the country. Eight years later that vision, GoGirlsMusic.com, has grown beyond her wildest dreams. Sklar’s dedication to female musicians across the county has propelled GoGirlsMusic.com into the oldest and largest online community of independent women musicians.

Since its inception, GoGirlsMusic.com has become a welcome destination for women in music, offering to them many opportunities to showcase their talents, network with industry big wigs and educate themselves about the cold, hard music biz at GoGirls sponsored events. 

In the last four years, Sklar has raised the awareness of the website by producing high profile events like the GoGirlsMusicFest, Invasion of the GoGirls and Last Band Standing. "Our organization was developed to promote women in music," says the enthusiastic Sklar. "Chicks rock and GoGirlsMusic.com is a site dedicated to proving it."

2004 looks like it will be another exciting year for GoGirlsMusic.com. Every month listeners can look forward to a GoGirlsRock! event at the Rhythm Room (1815 Washington Ave., Houston, 713-863-0943) -- the first of which is this Saturday, January 17, with a lineup that features singer-songscribes Laurie Foxx, Dani Linnetz, Myrna Sanders, and Carolina.

Based in Houston, Laurie Foxx has made her mark on the South By Southwest music conference in Austin, where Foxx has become a favorite, performed in clubs, on electric radio and on the local PBS station. Closer to home, Foxx was nominated for Best Female Acoustic/Folk in The Houston Press Music Awards in 2000.

Dani Linnetz is a California girl who followed an unlikely path to soulful singing and songwriting. "I was a child of showtunes, Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond. It wasn't my fault," says Linnetz, "My mom did community theater."

She moved to Los Angeles in 1996, fronting a band for a year before going solo. "I was petrified, but it was my dream, so I played any L.A. clubs and cafes that would have me. At this point, I still had (and have) a soft spot for cheesy love songs, [but] I was also listening to a lot of music of all genres and thoroughly enjoyed learning and discovering new artists and styles. Some of the most influential included Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, The Pixies, Ani Difranco, Richard Buckner, Cat Power, Patty Griffin, Fiona Apple, and of course, The Cure. The influence of such a wide variety of music was apparent in my writing."

Houston native (and GoGirls fave) Myrna Sanders has performed all kinds of music: everything from folk and country to R & B and rock to heavy metal. At age 9, she picked up her first guitar -- left to her by her mother, who died when Sanders was barely a year old -- and began learning songs from records and the radio by ear. As a vocalist, she loved to perform tender ballads and balls-to-the-wall rockers, citing influences from Linda Ronstadt to Janis Joplin and Robert Plant. She put all her vocal and bass-playing talents together in rock band Rare Seed, voted best rock band in Houston in 1996-97 by the Houston Music Council. Sanders' influences and experiences come together in her new CD, Rags To Riches.

Finally, Carolina is one of the brightest stars to emerge in the Latin music market. Her captivating voice and smooth style are a refreshing change from the hard-edged performers currently gracing Latin Pop. Her ability to sing a wide variety of music -- including R&B, bountry, pop and rock -- allows Carolina to bring her music to many cultures. 

A long-time veteran of the Tejano and country circuits, Carolina -- whose debut CD, Soy, is now available -- currently resides in Austin.

Doors open at 8PM, with the show beginning at 9PM; the show is appropriate for all ages, with $5 cover -- $1 off with college ID.

GoGirlsMusic.com is also out in force this Wednesday, January 21, hosting a show with Austin rocker Patrice Pike and Ellis at the Rhythm Room. Their performance will be the first stop on a tour of Texas that includes San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin.

Many people know Patrice Pike from her years fronting Sister Seven, a band that has garnered cult status in recent years. From their jam-band beginnings to their radio singles, they headlined clubs and supported massive shed tours. The disbanding of Sister Seven and the release of her first indie solo effort, Fencing Under Fire, has established Patrice Pike as one of the best current unsigned artists today. Now she is wrapping up touring for the year to finish a new album which will be released in 2004.

Meantime, Ellis is a native Texan who is feeling Minnesota these days. After moving at age 16, Ellis founded her own record label, Rubberneck Records, and has released four solo albums on her own -- all of which offer up personal glimpses in her soul with songs that are honest and real.

Her latest CD, Tigers Above, Tigers Below, is her most ambitious release to date. Recorded in a house in New Orleans, the town permeates the feel of the songs and the record as a whole. The title stems from a Buddhist story about finding joy amidst life's challenges and aptly summarizes the spirit of the album.

Wednesday's show at the Rhythm Room starts at 9PM; tickets are $8. Preparations are currently underway for the 4th Annual Invasion of the GoGirls in Austin during South by Southwest. In addition to showcasing the best in emerging talent from across the country, this year’s GoGirls event will also feature a music panel and a keynote speaker for the first time.

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