April Lawton (July 30, 1948 – November 23, 2006) was a guitarist and composer who rose to some prominence in the early to mid-1970s as a member of the band Ramatam, which also included at one time former Iron Butterfly guitarist Mike Pinera and the former Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell, as well as Russ Smith (bass, vocals), and Tommy Sullivan (keyboards, reeds, vocals). Her playing style was a mix of Jeff Beck, Hendrix, and Allan Holdsworth. (More from Wikipedia)
Among full-blown rock bands that included female musicians, the experience of April Lawton in the band Ramatam might be instructive. Lawton was a true guitar virtuoso – rare enough among men, and almost unheard of among women – but you would never know it by listening to their 1973 album having the odd title, In April Came the Dawning of the Red Suns. April Lawton shows off her prowess well on “Excerpt from Guitar Concerto #1”, but that performance lasts all of 44 seconds. On most of the other cuts, her guitar work is overwhelmed in a sea of other instruments.
Breaking into the “boys’ club” of popular music can evidently be difficult even in one’s own band. This might be the reason that women tended to congregate in all-female bands in the early years.
(October 2013)
