Sad news from Randy Fox, host of the cool country show "Hipbilly Jamboree" 6 p.m. Tuesdays on Vanderbilt's WRVU-91.1 FM:
It is with much sadness that I have to announce that tonight's edition of Hipbilly Jamboree will be a tribute to one of rockabilly's greatest singers and a true pioneer of American music—Janis Martin.In 1956, a 15-year-old Janis was signed to RCA as the female equivalent to their current top seller (Elvis, of course, for those of you that are a little slow...). Even though Janis' recording career was much shorter, and never equaled the sales of her male counterpart, she (along with Wanda Jackson) was not only a true pioneer of rock 'n' roll but one of the first truly forceful and dynamic female rockers—years before the "gender gap" in rock would be finally be torn down.
What makes her passing even more sad was that she just recently retired from her "day job" and was looking forward to getting back to performing on a semi-regular basis. She had completed a new album produced by Rosie Flores, and was booked for several rockabilly festivals when she found out she had terminal cancer just a few weeks ago. She passed away yesterday at 4 p.m.
Here's a fine
tributeFox wrote for the Scene back in 1998.
