Today was devoted to shooting B-roll in and around the Country Music Hall of Fame. Every corner and in between there’s a honky tonk with high quality music. Our first stop was Legends where they featured a country western cover band that was really good. Here’s the rub … since I’m shooting a documentary movie that focuses on women in music, that’s what’s on my mind all the time. We sat there for two hours without hearing a single song that had been recorded by a woman. It wasn’t until I requested a song by a woman that they actually played one.

I first requested something by Kathy Mattea and female singer said that she knew it but the band didn’t. Then I ask for “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” and got the same response. Finally I said, “Can you do anything that’s a girl song?” They came back with the Loretta Lynn Classic, “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take my Man,” and did a really good job with it.

The same disparity was evident at the Country Music Hall of Fame. There were 15 to 20 exhibits devoted to male musicians for every single exhibit devoted to a female musician. I probably wouldn’t have noticed any of this if I weren’t working on this film.

Next time you’re listening to the radio, make a mental note of how many songs are played by male artists compared with female artists.