Cris Williamson

Decades before indie labels were the norm, and years before women had any real access to the industry, Cris Williamson and the Olivia Collective were busy changing the face of popular music. In 1975, the twenty-something former schoolteacher recorded The Changer and the Changed for her brainchild, Olivia Records, the first woman-owned, woman-focused record company. Her music and voice quickly became an essential part of the soundtrack of a movement and was the cornerstone of what would become known as “women’s music”—music created, performed, and marketed specifically for and by women. Today, The Changer and the Changed remains one of the best-selling independent releases of all time. 

For Cris, the music has always been the vehicle for something larger. Her work appears on a regular basis in books and thesis papers, on radio, and in film. Her albums are part of the curriculum for women's studies courses, and thousands of people who may not even know her name join their voices in “Song of the Soul” around campfires and places of worship. She is embraced by women. She is sampled in hip-hop. Her music is used by midwives welcoming life into the world, while hospice choirs sing her songs in tender sacred escort. “She is often considered a treasure, passed hand-to-hand, person-to-person,” says the Boston Phoenix, “Williamson is a heroic character whose tireless activism continues.” 

Today, with 34 full albums to her credit, Cris continues to tour the acoustic circuit, promoting her latest album, Harbor Street, and adding new material at each juncture. Her performance career has included three sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall and headlining many of the great folk festivals, including Newport, Kerrville, Moab, and Vancouver. Cris and Judy Dlugacz were recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed upon them by the Americana Music Association at their annual awards ceremony in the illustrious Ryman Theatre. The award was presented by NPR music critic Ann Powers. 

2025 will mark the 50th Anniversary of The Changer and the Changed and Cris is already busy preparing for a full schedule of touring and teaching, Cris will be presenting a bountiful handful of Changer and the Changed All-Star Anniversary Shows in select major cities—on land and at sea! In addition, Cris will be going into the studio in 2024 to record album #33! Stay tuned. 

Ruthie Foster

In the tight-knit musical community of Austin, Texas, it’s tough to get away with posturing. You either bring it, or you don’t.

If you do, word gets around. And one day, you find yourself duetting with Bonnie Raitt, or standing onstage with the Allman Brothers at New York’s Beacon Theater and trading verses with Susan Tedeschi. You might even wind up getting nominated for a Best Blues Album Grammy — three times in a row. And those nominations would be in addition to your seven Blues Music Awards, three Austin Music Awards, the Grand Prix du Disque award from the Académie Charles-Cros in France, and a Living Blues Critics’ Award for Female Blues Artist of the Year.

There’s only one Austinite with that résumé: Ruthie Foster. 

The small rural town of Gause, TX had no chance of keeping the vocal powerhouse known as Ruthie Foster to itself. The worship services at her community church and influences like Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin created the foundation of her vocal capabilities, which developed into her own sound which is unable to be contained within a single genre. That uniqueness echoes a common theme in Ruthie’s life and career — marching to the beat of her own drum.

Joining the Navy was one way for Ruthie to stake out her own path. It was during her time singing for the Navy band Pride that her love for performing became apparent. After leaving the service, Ruthie signed a development deal with Atlantic Records and moved to New York City to pursue a career as a professional musician.

A deal with a major label would seem to be a dream come true for a budding artist, but the label favored Ruthie as a pop star. In another bold move, she walked away from the deal and returned to her roots, moving back to the LoneStar State.

Returning to Texas, Ruthie solidified her place as an up-and-coming singer/songwriter and began a musical partnership with Blue Corn Music, whom she has stood beside for all her releases over the past two decades.

Now comes Ruthie’s latest — Joy Comes Back — again on Blue Corn Music. When she recorded this album, Foster wasn’t merely singing about love and loss; she was splitting a household and custody of her 5-year-old daughter. Music was her therapy.

The comfort she felt within the studio gave her the strength to pour the heartache of her family’s fracture and the cautious hope of a new love into 10 incredible tracks, nine of which are by a diverse array of writers ranging from Mississippi John Hurt and Grace Pettis (daughter of renowned folk singer Pierce Pettis), to Chris Stapleton and Black Sabbath. It takes a true artist to make an outside song their own and, if you know Ruthie, you know she succeeds. The Recording Academy might want to put its engraver on notice. Every note on Joy Comes Back confirms this truth: It’s Ruthie’s time.

At one point, producer Daniel Barrett described the album to local hero Warren Hood, who lays fiddle and mandolin on “Richland Woman Blues,” as “some blues, some folk, some soul, some rock, some gospel.” Hood replied, “Sounds like Ruthie Foster music.”

Karen Williams

Karen Williams is a force, a buzzsaw joke machine. She is proactively provocative, and fearless in confronting cliches, and investigating stereotypes through hyperbole. Her comedy stands out as a distinct, cantankerous voice in the lesbian community and a unique perspective on the world at large. “Human Beings: What A Concept,” Karen Williams’ debut comedy album, is a glimpse into the inner politics of a marginalized group that, by necessity, became curators and creators of their own culture. Karen addresses conformity in kindness, love, and relationships. She shares misgivings about aging, codependency, motherhood, and sexuality, especially regarding intersections with race and libertine living. Karen tells it like it is, as she sees it, cutting through the pleasantries with nuance, texture, ambiance, ambivalence, and gusto. She has lingo for those in the know and expertly crafted elaborations for those who aren’t. Throughout, Karen displays an unmatched genius for sarcasm, irony, and rhetoric. If something doesn’t make sense, she’ll knock some sense into it, but gracefully. Her technique is impressive. Rather than beat her opponent over the head, she’ll take the egregiously erroneous or misinformed stance as her own, stretch the faulty logic until it’s paper thin, and wrap the whole farce up into a bow. Karen Williams is special. For more about Karen's humor and healing work, visit www.hahainstitute.com  

Suzanne Westenhoefer

No one ever accused Suzanne of being subtle, not the shuttle driver who took her to the airport, the woman she was in line with at the grocery store yesterday and certainly not her audiences.  Subtle, she is not.
After 25 years of groundbreaking, stereotype-shattering and brutally honest comedy, she’s not about to start pulling punches now.
The kid from Amish Country who began her comedy career on a dare is celebrating a quarter century of out, open, no-holds-barred comedy.
Suzanne tells the truth. The truth is life is funny, especially when it’s fermented in Suzanne’s mind. That’s why she could never be in the closet, making her a trailblazer when she started doing stand-up in the 1990s. She was the first openly lesbian comedian with an HBO Special and the first openly lesbian comedian on “Late Night with David Letterman.”
Heck, she was on Sally Jesse Raphael in 1991 on a show called “Breaking the Lesbian Stereotype…Lesbians Who Don’t Look Like Lesbians.” From “OMG, a lesbian has long hair and wears make up” to “I went to Helen and Jane’s wedding last weekend,” that’s how far we’ve come in the 25 years Suzanne has been telling her truth to audiences all over the world. Some of that is certainly thanks to her candor, courage and charisma.
Suzanne never does the same show twice. She can’t. She doesn’t write anything down. She charges boldly onto the stage and what happens is always a mystery and a delight. Enjoy a wild night of comedy in a city near you.

Elvira Kurt

Elvira Kurt is an award-winning, trail-blazing, blazer-wearing stand-up comic and Second City alumna who can now add thespian lesbian to her long list of credits following her Montreal theatrical stage debut in the Broadway smash hit, POTUS:. From hosting her own prime time talk show in Canada, popcultured with Elvira Kurt, to her more recent co-hosting appearances on CTV’s The Social, along with her numerous televised comedy specials, Kurt has done it all—at home and abroad. She’s earned multiple nominations for U.S. College Comedian of The Year, performed solo shows from Iceland and Iqaluit to Australia and New Zealand and is considered a queer icon for being one of the first openly gay stand-up comedians.

Elvira's work in television is extensive. Highlights include writing and performing on Baroness Von sketch Show, Carolyn Taylor's I Have Nothing, being a judge on The Second City’s Next Comedy Legend, a recurring role in the critically acclaimed pre-school series, Miss Persona, and hosting a Mark Burnett- produced game show, Spin Off.

She continues to showcase her creative talents in writing, producing, and directing in everything from the Seth Rogen-produced, The Great Canadian Pottery Throwdown to the Netflix hit, Drink Masters, Canada’s Drag Race, and The Great Canadian Baking Show. Elvira has received many prestigious accolades, including recognition at the Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Comedy Awards, Toronto Fringe Festival, and earning the Jury Choice Award at the Cannes Short Film Showcase. All this and a sitcom currently in development means Elvira Kurt is one busy teacup butch!

Gina Yashere

Gina Yashere is an internationally acclaimed comedian who is currently starring in Chuck Lorre’s series, BOB ❤ ABISHOLA on CBS. Not only does Yashere star in the series, but she is one of the co-creators, co-showrunner, executive producer, and writer.

She can also be seen on Netflix with her own specials, SKINNY B@TCH, LAUGHING TO AMERICA and part of THE STAND UPS season 2. Her TV credits include, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, Comedy Central’s THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH, DEF COMEDY JAM, LIVE AT THE APOLLO, TruTV’s COMEDY KNOCKOUT, Comedy Central’s @midnight, NBC’s THE TONIGHT SHOW, HBO’s CRASHING, ITV’s MARRIED SINGLE OTHER, THE LENNY HENRY SHOW and the animated series, BROMWELL HIGH and THE BARBARIAN AND THE TROLL.

Gina came to the U.S. as a finalist on NBC’s LAST COMIC STANDING, and never left! Yashere is also a published author. Her memoir, Cack-Handed was released last year to rave reviews.

Lisa Koch

Daft. Demented. #SNORT. Picture Tina Fey meets Bette Midler with Joan Jett’s guitar chops... and you’ve got Seattle’s Lisa Koch. An irreverent singer, comedian, out lesbian, and sober chick, Koch (“Coke”) is a deliciously twisted mix of comedy, theater, and tunes. She has recorded five solo CDs, is an alumnus of the quirky sketch comedy duo Dos Fallopia (Ham for the Holidays), and has shared the stage with the likes of Janis Ian, Kate Clinton, Lily Tomlin, Karla Bonoff, the Indigo Girls, and Steve Martin. She composed the off-Broadway musical 27, Rue de Fleurus, has been seen on LOGO and Olivia cruises, and actually had one of her songs sampled by Jay-Z. Lisa brings to Olivia her guitar, her wacky songs, and her musings on being a woman… from middle age to mammograms to singing vulvas. 

Vickie Shaw

Comedian Vickie Shaw is one of our favorite entertainers with Olivia. She has made women of Olivia laugh for over 20 years. Her "take no prisoners" (she's southern) style of comedy is incredibly hilarious and she takes you on a gut-busting journey of extreme humor. She has traveled the U.S. and the world (mostly with Olivia) making people all over the globe laugh until they cry! You've seen her on television, Comedy Central, four comedy specials on LOGO, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, and movies (Laughing Matters More), as well as benefits, fundraisers and numerous Pride events all over the U.S. You don't want to miss this incredible entertainer. 

Roxanna Ward

Cabaret-comic extraordinaire Roxanna Ward hails from Laguna Beach, California. Her engaging blend of piano bar and comedy caused one reviewer to observe, “It’s as if Bette Midler and Steve Allen had a love child.” A pianist, musical arranger, producer, and teacher, Ward has worked with legends Dolly Parton, Laura Nyro, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Bea Arthur. She has conducted orchestras as far apart as Milwaukee, Dusseldorf, and closer to home with Pacific Symphony. As a songwriter, she penned the R&B single “Remember Who You Are,” which reached number 16 on Billboard’s jazz chart when recorded by Phyllis Hyman, and more recently was recorded by Suede.

Roxanna has spent 20 years teaching chorus at both Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School, building the program to admirable levels, and has served as Music Director at the Laguna Playhouse, Irvine Valley College, and Orange County School of the Arts, to name but a few. She has been the Music Director of choice since the inception of No Square Theatre, in California, and has also starred in No Square's productions of Gypsy (Mama Rose), Nunsense (Reverend Mother), and numerous other Lagunatics shows.

Roxanna’s greatest accomplishment is her son, Jake, who’s not only reached adulthood with grace and humor, but is soon to marry a wonderful young lady while enjoying a successful career in finance in San Diego. She’s also the proud mama of the devastatingly attractive mutt, Buddy, who frequently accompanies her to the theatre.

Roxanna is a beloved member of the Olivia family; her Olivia debut was on an Alaska cruise in 1992. Since then, she's joined us several times a year, and her brilliant comedy, writing, musicianship, and singing endears her to audiences everywhere. Whether you are seeing Roxanna for the first time or the tenth, she always makes you laugh and warms your heart.

Dana Goldberg

Raised by a wild pack of Jews, otherwise known as her mother and two siblings, veteran comedian Dana Goldberg is a force of nature on stage. With performances at the San Francisco International Comedy Competition, The Comedy Festival produced by TBS and HBO, and the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, Goldberg’s quick wit and playful stage presence have earned her loyal fans across the country and abroad.

A crowd favorite, she has become a triple threat, combining her comedy, hosting, and writing talents to become one of the most sought-after entertainers on the circuit. Deeming her one of the top five funniest lesbians in America, Curve magazine raved, “Goldberg is one of the brightest lights in a stellar comedy landscape,” and Advocate.com named Goldberg one of the top three LGBT comedians in the nation. 

In addition to headlining clubs, theaters, and festivals around the country, Goldberg has performed at and emceed dozens of high profile events and has shared the national stage with luminaries such as President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, President Bill Clinton, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lopez, John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Jennifer Hudson, Sir Elton John, Mariah Carey, Shonda Rhimes, and many more. Combining her gift of humor with humanitarian efforts, Goldberg has helped to raise over thirty million dollars for nonprofits around the country in the fight for marriage equality, LGBT rights, women’s rights, and HIV and AIDS education and prevention.

Mikalah Gordon

Mikalah Gordon, a Las Vegas Native, made her entertainment debut as a Top 12 contestant on season four of American Idol. Audiences fell in love with her powerful voice and unique stage presence, and she's been hitting all the right notes ever since. Her popular run on Idol earned her a record deal with famed judge Randy Jackson on Interscope Records, making her a household name. In addition to her vocal success, Mikalah has made her mark on the LA comedy scene with her edgy stand-up performances, headlining at The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory. The spicy comedienne has starred on the WB sitcom Living with Fran, with Fran Drescher; as a field correspondent for The Tyra Banks Show and The TV Guide Network, and served as a co-host on American Idol Extra. Mikalah began hosting her podcast So Funny It Hurts where she interviews comedians and explores the trauma that makes them funny. Mikalah is also the morning show host five days a week for 98.5 KLUC in Vegas. You can also catch her singing on the weekends at her residency inside The Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas.

Yoli Mayor

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Yoli Mayor has mastered a fusion of sounds as multicultural as her hometown. The 26-year-old singer first gained her voice through The Magic City's burgeoning underground music scene, quickly becoming a regular at community events, open mics, and intimate venues around town. Her trademark Latin-Pop sound earned the attention of award-winning publications like The Miami Herald, The Huffington Post and Downtown Magazine(NYC) who dubbed her as "The Cuban Adele". Partnering with award-winning local musicians and producers, she eventually came into her own, shedding the attachment to her roots and finding her unique, passion-fueled voice.  

In 2017, she made her national debut as a Semi-Finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent where her infectious personality and powerful voice built her a community of passionate followers eager to follow her along her path. Mayor represented Miami again, when she appeared on American idol is 2022 for their platinum season. Mayor has continued to build her community by contributing towards organizations such as; Equality Florida Institute, Make-a-Wish Foundation, OperationSmile, N.I.C.k.S Camp Chira Family Foundation, Children’s Bereavement Center, Camila’s House, the LGBTQ task force, Taste of the Redlands, Stone Wall’s Pride 50th year anniversary, and multiple Pride festivals within Florida.  

The South Florida performer is known for her multifaceted sound, inhabiting a myriad of genres in a single showcase--from R&B, Hip Hop, to Pop, and Salsa, to name a few. She names such vocal powerhouses as Sarah Vaughn, Celia Cruz and Sade as musical influences--a credit to a depth of musical maturity well beyond her years. Mayor believes that music is a form of communication, between singer and audience, among musicians, and between the audience members themselves--and inspires conversation with every performance.  

She has shared the stage with some of the world's most notable acts, performing alongside names like Steven Tyler, Marlos Rosado and Tito Puentes Jr, among many others. This power to command stages of every size continues to be one of the most significant reasons she is called upon for performances during each new venture of South Florida’s growth, from national anthems at the beloved Orange Bowl to the latest opening of the Inter Miami CF Stadium and most recently opening the main stage of Okeechobee Fest in March 2022--qualifying as her first Major festival performance as a main act. On March 11th, 2022, Mayor released her first Spotify single, "Malamente Cover by Yoli Mayor_"--a landmark moment that is sure to be followed by many more to come. Mayor is now working with an entirely Cuban band Named “La Ponina” bringing her roots to center stage moving forward for the soulful songstress. 

DJ Rockaway

Born and raised in Queens, DJ Rockaway has been bringing her passion and love for music to US and international dance floors for nearly two decades. Although she is true New Yorker (just listen to her talk!), she is a regular on both the East and West coasts. You’ll find her spinning at nightclubs, weddings and other private events, and galas for national nonprofits, such as NCLR, HRC, and Equality California, to name a few—and she is also a regular DJ on Olivia cruise and resort vacations.

The executive producer of the San Francisco Women’s Stage and the founder of PLAY San Francisco and PLAY San Jose, monthly events for women who love to dance, DJ Rockaway has created a unique mix of music styles—dance, hip-hop, R&B, house, club, retro—that allows her to play for all who love to dance and feel the music. In her spare time, you can find her behind a camera lens, playing with her drone, or filming and editing music videos. For DJ Rockaway, music is more than a blend of sounds, music is an experience… she wants you to feel it, live it, escape into it.