about us
Chicks with Guitars is about self-expression and the pursuit of music.
Chicks with Guitars is about what motivates people to try to play, to get better, to cut loose, to change genres, to experiment. It is about the history of women and guitar, the guitar in art, organizations that promote music and community. It’s about the role that music plays in our lives.
We stand for positive and enriching experience; we encourage bravery.
We are armed with axes and ready for anything.
Check out our new “about us” video – in Japanese and English!
Who’s running the show?
Jeanette Palmer, Founder: She picked up a guitar at the age of 30 and her life was changed forever. For the better. Her first open mic turned into her first gig, which turned into a NYC showcase series, which turned into an East Coast tour. Some West Coast gigs. And now this web site. She has a degree from New York University in socio-linguistics but has primarily worked in the world of advertising and design on both national and global brands. Learn more on her personal site.
Bertolt Sobolik, Guy: While not a chick, Bertolt Sobolik has been playing guitar since he was 14. He got an MM in Music Composition at Indiana University. In addition to his work for Chicks with Guitars, he is finishing his Ph.D. in Music Composition at Princeton University. His thesis is entitled Recomposition: the evolution of musical identity in jazz. Bertolt’s compositions have been performed by various ensembles throughout the United States and in Europe. He has taught music theory, electronic music and computer music notation at Indiana University, Princeton University and the Vermont Jazz Center. In his spare time he writes electronic music, plays jazz on the guitar and is teaching himself the Turkish oud.
Partners:
Hot Cherry Records: Chicks with Guitars has enjoyed a long-term partnership with NYC label Hot Cherry Records and recording artist Nicola. We’ve collaborated on tours and events, currently cross-promoting the NYC Gotcha! Music Showcases.
How did this site come to be? A note from Jeanette:
If someone asks me what kind of music I like, I have almost always answered, “chicks with guitars“. I even bought the url for this in 1997, thinking I might find a way to celebrate my fan-dom with some kind of online magazine.
Surprisingly, I got a guitar as a birthday present in 1999. It sat around for awhile. In 2000, I started taking guitar lessons, writing songs and then added vocal lessons. My first open mic lead to my first gig. My first gig lead to a friend introducing me toPete Muller, who hosted a weekly songwriting workshop. I went almost every week for about 2 years, and the exposure this gave me to the musical and lyrical work of a variety of musicians was both thrilling and invaluable. I even recorded a CD of my first 8 songs (also available on itunes and most digital sites). I’m eternally thankful for the patience of my teacher and producer, James Katz.
That said, I quickly realized that I liked the process of practicing, writing and performing but I didn’t like promoting myself. But I really loved the community of talented people I was meeting. So, in 2003, Chicks with Guitars became a live monthly showcase in NYC and then in 2004, thanks to the suggestion and talents of my amazing friend Nicola, we went on the road a few times as touring coffeehouse “event” with other invited guests.
July 19th, 2010 marked the launch of Chicks with Guitars as a content site, an online magazine, a blog, whatever we’re supposed to call it these days. But the idea is still the same: the voice of many is more powerful and interesting and the voice of one.