The first all-female rock band that was signed to a major rock label was Goldie and the Gingerbreads, consisting of Ginger Bianco (drums), Margo Lewis (organ), Carol MacDonald (guitar and vocals), and Goldie Zelkowitz (lead vocals). They were active from 1962 to 1967 and released a handful of singles; I got to hear some of their songs on a compilation album called Girls with Guitars.
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Ginger Bianco and Carol MacDonald of Goldie and the Gingerbreads formed a second all-woman rock band in 1972 called Isis. This band also had a strong horn section. They were signed to Buddah Records in 1973 and released two well-received albums plus a third for United Artists Records, though they failed to reach a wide audience.
Following a one-time reunion of Goldie and the Gingerbreads in November 1997 that featured Ginger Bianco and Carol MacDonald plus Genya Ravan, Bianco and MacDonald organized a new line-up of Isis in 2001.
(October 2013)
