100 MOST ESSENTIAL WOMEN IN ROCK / POP MUSIC. 
This post: #30- 21. Continues next week.

Caffé Latté presents: The  100 MOST ESSENTIAL WOMEN in POP/ROCK MUSIC The history of rock music is dominated by males: Elvis, The Beatles, The Stones and countless other men. This countdown tells the rest of the story, highlighting the 100 female acts –soloists and groups- that have had a major influence on the evolution of rock & pop music.

- 30 - DOLLY PARTON American country music legend whose influence as a singer / songwriter in that genre continues to this day. Among her best compositions are: "Jolene", "Nine To Five" and "I Will Always Love You". O✚ - 29 - LINDA RONSTADT American female rocker whose catalogue went on to span styles as diverse as standards, folk, country, pop and adult contemporary. She scored hits interpreting songs from sources as varied as George Gershwin, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Warren Zevon, Eagles and Roy Orbison. O✚ - 28 - GRACE SLICK Pioneering female lead singer on seminal songs by American band Jefferson Airplane: “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit”. O✚ - 27 - MARY J. BLIGE American recording artist crowned the Queen of Hip Hop. Among her influential releases are: “Real Love”, “No More Drama” and “Family Affair”. O✚ - 26 - PATTI SMITH Revered as the Godmother of Punk, American artist Patti Smith defied the rules with her groundbreaking and empowering attitude to music. She refused to use her looks or gender to attract an audience. Her arrival marked a line in the sand for women in rock. O✚ - 25 - JONI MITCHELL Canadian singer / songwriter responsible for folk/ rock classics like “Both Sides Now”, “Woodstock” and “Big Yellow Taxi”. O✚ - 24 - JANIS JOPLIN American blues singer had only a short time in the spotlight, but she left an undeniable impact on female vocalists. Fusing blues and rock, Janis Joplin paved the way for the likes of Chrissie Hynde, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt and Alanis Morissette. O✚ - 23 - DUSTY SPRINGFIELD British blue-eyed soul singer did much to expose British audiences to American R&B. Her ‘Dusty In Memphis’ album was a landmark of the 1960s. She sang soul so convincingly, that her success spread internationally, most notably in the U.S.A. Among her best vocal efforts are: “Son Of A Preacher Man”, “The Look Of Love” and “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”. O✚ - 22 - DIONNE WARWICK Burt Bacharach and Hal David could not have had a more perfect vocalist to interpret their timeless tunes than Dionne Warwick. These classics include: “I Say A Little Prayer”, “Anyone Who Had A Heart”, “Don’t Make Me Over”, “Walk On By” and “Always Something There To Remind Me”. In the late 1970s- 1980s, she enjoyed a revival with “I’ll Never Love Like This Again”, “Déjà Vu” and “Heartbreaker”. She collaborated with Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder to raise funds and awareness of A.I.D.S. with the charity single “That’s What Friends Are For”. O✚ - 21 - LAVERN BAKER LaVern Baker was one of the few women who scored hits in the years when R&B fused with rock ‘n’ roll. Her recordings laid a foundation that was built on years later by the likes of Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin. O✚