Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Evergreen Questions/Concerns II

1. detailed work history
2. personal and archival cultural memorabilia and ephemera
3. old and recent newspaper articles, "mainstream" and "black"
4. Support from who/m?
5. impact of environment/region (especially South) on identity, music, style, etc.
6. gender considerations/sexism
7. black feminist impulses
8. issues of courage, self-definition/validation
9. contours of success/lack thereof
10. childhood, adolescence, young adulthood
11. impact of religion
12. role models, mentors
13. quality of technique, skill
14. songwriting skills
15. experience with industry
16. impact of academic education
17. women of their eras or ahead of the curve
18. hard times
19. skin color, body issues, hair issues
20. competition

Tomorrow!

I have to tell my advisor that I am switching dissertation topics! I am scared, why! What I want to do is just as legitimate and important, so why am I still scared!

Fcuk it though! I'm going to do it...the architecture and geography of black women guitarists identities, focusing on issues of race, gender, class, representation, space and place!

And maybe I should also interview "younger" guitarists too! Why wait for them to turn 70 plus before asking how they construct and negotiate their identities as contemporary black women and as creative musicians/artists. It will be awesome to interview them 20 years later, develop a body of work about them instead of lamenting after their deaths about why no one focused on them earlier!

tomorrow...tomorrow...I wonder if I will get in trouble for switch