Wanda Jackson, Kree Harrison, Ella Mae Bowen Set For Change The Conversation Session

Wanda Jackson

Wanda Jackson will serve as the special guest mentor of the second Change the Conversation Presents: Rising Young Artists Mentoring Sessions, which will be held at the Bluebird Cafe, on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. The event is part of the 17th Annual Americana Music Festival & Conference.

Change the Conversation co-founder Tracy Gershon will lead Jackson in a talk designed to provide advice and guidance to the young artists chosen for the event.

The evening will also feature performances by the artists Arielle, Ella Mae Bowen and Kree Harrison. Taylor Guitars will present each artist with a guitar.

Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. She has released more than 30 studio albums during her international career. Her hits include “Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine,” “A Woman Lives for Love” and “Fancy Satin Pillows.”

“Wanda Jackson is the perfect mentor for our Change The Conversation series. Wanda broke through the male-dominated genre of rock in the early fifties and earned her title as The First Lady of Rock and Roll. Her insight and stories will prove to be inspiring to the young women facing similar challenges today,” says Gershon, who is also Rounder Records Group’s vice president of A&R.

Change the Conversation was formed by Gershon, Beverly Keel and Leslie Fram in 2014. It was formed initially to create an informal atmosphere where women could gather and develop productive ways of solving the problem. The coalition has grown into an organization of influence, which funds research and hosts events where industry experts address their segments of the industry.

“Quality mentoring is so important to our Change The Conversation mission.  Young female artists can gain invaluable knowledge and wisdom from successful women who have paved the way,” says Fram, Sr. VP of Music Strategy and Talent at CMT.