Song Suffragettes celebrates women's suffrage centennial with Ashley McBryde, more performances

Matthew Leimkuehler, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read

August marks a century of women's suffrage, and Song Suffragettes wants to celebrate the best way it knows how — by showcasing some of Nashville's top songwriting talent.

The women-led singer-songwriter collective enlists special guests this August for weekly shows sponsored by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission, a federal organization tasked with curating digital programming to commemorate August as National Women’s Suffrage Month. Stars include Lindsay Ell, Maddie & Tae, Ashley McBryde and Runaway June.

This month marks 100 years since ratification of the 19th amendment, guaranteeing women's right to vote.

Each week, the guest joins a cast of rotating Song Suffragettes players. Songwriters Carter Faith, Chloe Gilligan, Julie Williams and Raquel Cole with Mia Morris, on cajon, join Ell this Monday.

Lindsay Ell gestures to the crowd after singing the National Anthem during the 2019 CMA Fest Friday, June 7, 2019, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
Lindsay Ell gestures to the crowd after singing the National Anthem during the 2019 CMA Fest Friday, June 7, 2019, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.

“Music holds an important place in the history of women’s fight for the vote — like in all social movements, music helped to inspire and unify the suffragists who were dedicated to expanding American democracy," Anna Laymon, executive director of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission, said in a statement. "These activists not only secured the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment, but they also broke barriers and opened up new opportunities for women for generations to come.

She continued, "By working to ensure talented women artists are represented and celebrated in the world of country music today, Song Suffragettes carries forward the legacy of the courageous trailblazers who fought for women’s right to vote 100 years ago."

Viewers can watch online Mondays at 6 p.m. CST via YouTube.com/SongSuffragettes; the venue sells a limited number of in-person tickets at listeningroomcafe.com.

Song Suffragettes began holding a weekly showcase in 2014, since welcoming more than 260 women to the stage.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ashley McBryde, Lindsay Ell join Song Suffragettes for centennial