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. 

Marga Gomez

Marga Gomez is the first comedian to sail with Olivia on its maiden voyage. As one of the first out lesbians in comedy she is profiled in the acclaimed documentary Laughing Matters” along with Karen Williams, Kate Clinton and Suzanne Westenhoefer. Marga is also the writer and performer of fourteen one person shows which have been presented Off Broadway, nationally and internationally. Her stand-up has been featured on PBS,. Comedy Central and on HBO’s Comic Relief at the invitation of the late Robin Willians who called Marga “amazing…a Lesbian Lenny Bruce” Her acting roles include The Vagina Monologues with Rita Moreno and a guest spot on Netflix “Sense8.”

Her awards include the GLAAD Media Award for Off-Broadway Theatre. Marga is thrilled to be back on an Olivia trip to see old friends and make new ones.

Sweet Baby J'ai

Few entertainers can command a stage like the indefatigable Sweet Baby J'ai. Recently inducted into the California Jazz & Blues Museum Hall of Fame, she is a multi-award winning, critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, actress and festival producer. Known for her sensual and powerful vocals, J’ai has won three Bravo “Entertainer of the Year” awards, two Blues and Soul Magazine “Best Jazz Vocal Performance” awards, two “Best Actress in a Leading Role” awards, and was honored as a Living Jazz Legend by the Los Angeles City Council.

As a U.S. Jazz Ambassador, J’ai has received rave reviews both domestically and internationally for her expansive mix of jazz, blues, and soul, and has successfully sold her albums worldwide. The New York Times described her voice as, “…part cream, part honey and all soul,” while LN Magazine said, “She echoes the great talent of Billie Holiday and Etta James." The Russian Ulyanovsk Times referred to her as “the brightest representative of the world jazz scene…performing jazz, blues, funk, gospel, soul, pop, and even R&B equally brilliantly!”

SweetBaby J’ai continues to play a critical role in inspiring young female artists around the world, spreading joy wherever she goes!

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. 

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.

Lucie Blue Tremblay

Beginning in March 2020, Lucie Blue began producing livestreams for you (her tribe) twice a week called “Jammin’ In My Jammies” and created special ZOOM events as well, in the18 months that followed. No one would be alone. Inspiration fueled Lucie during these isolating times. Her latest CD was born with a special message that, “everything was going to be okay”.

The production and tracks travelled by internet and communication with the band all happened through ZOOM since Canada closed its borders to the world and Nova Scotia closed its border to other Canadian provinces. Once it was safe Lucie travelled to Quebec to complete her guitar and vocal tracks.

Olivia’s 50th Anniversary Cruise was Lucie’s first and last performance in 2023. Having suffered an injury shortly after, Lucie Blue underwent shoulder, bicep repair and rehab.

2023 was eventful yet filled with surprises. Lucie was commissioned to write and produce the song “You Are My Family” for the Cancer Care PAW Program. PAW offers financial support to help clients keep their pets home and cared for, while clients go through chemo and radiation treatment.

Hearing Lucie Blue live in concert is a personal and moving experience and though she sometimes sings of the powerful storm we are living in, she always and carefully brings us back to the beauty right in front of us. It is refreshing to witness the freedom and liberation of this songwriter as some may remember her early immigration issues when she self disclosed as a lesbian in the Mid 80’s. She is now a full-fledged dual citizen of Canada and the USA.

In the summer you can find Lucie and her wife Pat managing their lovely rental property in Nova Scotia called The Princess and the Sea. It’s hard to leave Paradise, NS but knowing you’ll all be on the other end has Lucie looking forward to cruising with Olivia again and getting a chance to re-launch this her CD “So Many Wows” in person.

“The best thing about Lucie's music in the past is that when it was first heard, it was always current. It touched where you, and the rest of us, were living at that time. Her latest CD “So Many Wows” is no exception. Her voice is warmer and richer and sweeter than ever, and its songs will keep playing in your head even after you've pulled out the earbuds.” ©2022.ShellyRoberts.

Mouths of Babes

With more than a dozen albums and over a thousand shows between them, Ty Greenstein and Ingrid Elizabeth of Mouths of Babes are no strangers to the contemporary folk-Americana music scene. For years, their respective bands Girlyman and Coyote Grace captivated thousands of loyal fans as they crisscrossed the country, rocked festival main stages, andtoured with the likes of Indigo Girls and Dar Williams. Now, they have distilled the very best of the songwriting, musicianship, and humor of their previous groups into a power duo that brings more depth and style than ever before.

World Brand New, the stunning self-produced follow-up to Mouths of Babes' award-winning full-length debut Brighter in the Dark, is a Folk/Americana album in the old-fashioned sense:an album with an arc, meant to be listened to all the way through on good headphones with no distractions. With ten songs that range from stuck-in-your-head catchy to cinematic and orchestral, married duo Ty Greenstein and Ingrid Elizabeth take you on the Hero’s Journey hinted at in the cover art.  One must venture out to the turbulent sea, step fully into the chaos of the world, and face a reckoning, to finally come home. The album can be read as an inner journey, a relationship coming full circle, or a national reckoning — and is meant as all of these.

Mixed by Nino Moschella of Bird & Egg Studios and mastered by sound designer Bijan Sharifi, the duo created the enchanting sonic landscape in “World Brand New” with the help of multi-instrumentalist Michael Connolly, percussionists Sean Trischka and Joe Chellman, Tania Elizabeth of The Avett Brothers, cellist Mai Bloomfield of the Jason Mraz Band, Tonight Show Band veteran Vicki Randle, and Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Melanie deMore (among others).

As a proudly independent band, Mouths of Babes draws their strength and momentum from a fierce, loyal fan base, grown over their many years as road dogs. “We feel incredibly lucky to have been able to make exactly the album we wanted to make and to have such a strong career,” says Ty, “thanks to our incredible fans, who believe in supporting the music that matters to them.”

Bitch

Bitch is a longstanding queer music icon who Yahoo Entertainment called “a feminist force that the world needs now more than ever” when she released “Bitchcraft,” her 9th studio album, on the legendary label Kill Rock Stars in 2022. With her signature electric violin and lyrical smarts front and center over huge beats and deep synths, Bitch coined the genre “Poet Pop” and she has been touring nationally ever since, igniting her loyal following and inspiring new followers with her colorful and bold stage shows.

“Bitchcraft is a masterpiece,” said Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, who, along with Ani Difranco, have taken Bitch on tour as their opener. Joey Soloway (Transparent) directed the music video for “Easy Target.”

In addition to headlining over 70 shows in 2022, Bitch honed her acting chops and played a role in the new Audible podcast of Alison Bechdel’s “Dykes To Watch Out For,” alongside Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein and Roxane Gay. The series was directed by Leigh Silverman, and Bitch co-wrote a song for it with Faith Soloway.

Bitch first achieved notoriety as one half of the queer folk duo Bitch and Animal. The band toured with Ani DiFranco, and released two albums on her label Righteous Babe Records. In the mid 2000s, Bitch went solo, and shared stages with the Indigo Girls, acted in John Cameron Mitchell’s film “Shortbus,” co-wrote a song with Margaret Cho, produced two albums of her elder and folk hero Ferron.

Bitchcraft, Bitch’s first album in 8 years, is one that makes you think and makes you dance. Full of violins, synths, and huge vocals, the record is neon pink and in your face. It’s Joni Mitchell set to a clicktrack; it’s queer Cyndi Lauper and will hex you with its brilliance. It also makes you think: about the state of the world, about evil politicians, about what it means to exist as a woman, and how to find joy along the way.

“The legendary queer icon is back” Bust Magazine “There’s no stopping her now” LA Weekly

“Bitch is a force to be reckoned with" Joey Soloway to MTV

“Bitch is a straight-up, real, fearless performer.” – Ani Difranco to Spin Magazine

“Bitchcraft is poppy and poetic and will put her on the map for new audiences to discover” Brooklyn Vegan

“Bitch is a feminist force that the world needs now more than ever” Yahoo Entertainment

 “Bitchcraft is a masterpiece” Amy Ray, Indigo Girls

Sinclair

Quadruple threat = Sinclair. She’s a singer, songwriter, producer and guitar player who has recently opened for GRAMMY Award Winner, Kacey Musgraves, on her sell out ‘Golden Hour’ Tour and also shared the stage with Ke$ha, Daughtry, Kevin Griffin and Max Frost.

Sinclair produced the Teddie CollinZ, ‘Truth Is’ EP, Kelly Monrow's debut LP ‘Scars of Venus’, I Am Orfa's ‘Connected’, Krysta Youngs ‘With You In NY’, co-produced/wrote Marie Osmond's single alongside Jason Deere & has collaborated on various recordings with Daughtry, Better Than Ezra, VIZE & more. Sinclair garnered critical acclaim by charting on Ryan Seacrest’s American Top 40. Billboard magazine calls her production “savagely beautiful” and “carrying a boldness that will resonate with millions”.

Her original song “This Too Shall Pass” organically reached 13 Million streams on Spotify alone. Sinclair has had a wide variety of sync success from a Colgate toothpaste campaign to feature films like HULU’s ‘Playing God’ and Netflix series ‘Shameless’, MTV’s ‘Catfish’, ‘Clique’, ‘American Woman’ and ‘On My Way Out’.

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. 

Col. Grethe Cammermeyer

Retired Col. Margarethe (Grethe) Cammermeyer, RN, PhD, was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1942, when Norway was under Nazi occupation. She immigrated with her family to the United States at the age of nine. After earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland, she had joined the Army at nineteen, and went on active duty as an Army nurse, serving in Germany, the USA and Vietnam.

While stationed in Europe she married a fellow military officer. In 1968, after seven years on active duty, she was forced to leave the military when she was pregnant with her first child. She returned to the military, joining the Army Reserves, in 1972, when women could serve with dependents. Divorced after 15 years, she continued her education, earning a master’s and PhD from University of Washington. She held concurrent careers in the Army Reserves and National Guard and in the VA Medical Health Care system, where she worked as a clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, and researcher in neuroscience nursing.

In 1989, having served in the military for 25 years, Col. Cammermeyer disclosed that she was a lesbian during a top-secret security investigation. She was ultimately discharged in 1991. With Lambda Legal on her legal team, she challenged her discharge in federal court, won, and was reinstated and finally retired after 31 years of service. Portrayed by Glenn Close, and produced by Barbara Streisand, her story was memorialized in an NBC made-for-television movie, Serving in Silence. The movie is based on her autobiography of the same name, which depicts Grethe’s life and struggles and was updated in 2016.

Dr. Cammermeyer and her spouse Diane Divelbess live on Whidbey Island in Washington state with their one dog, Bella.

Ginny Berson

Ginny Z Berson is a long-time political activist driven by a longing for justice. She was a member of The Furies—a radical lesbian feminist separatist collective in Washington, D.C. that lived and worked collectively to develop lesbian feminist political thought and philosophy. They produced a mostly monthly newspaper, The Furies, that was distributed nationally and had a significant impact on women’s groups all over the U.S. Ginny was a regular contributor and member of the editorial staff. After The Furies broke up, Ginny pulled together a group of women in D.C. to begin visioning and planning what would become Olivia Records, the national women’s record company. She and her partner, the musician Meg Christian, were the initial driving force getting Olivia off the ground. Ginny stayed at Olivia for seven plus years, and during that time the Olivia collective produced records by Meg, Cris Williamson, BeBe K’Roche, Linda Tillery, Teresa Trull, Mary Watkins, a poetry album by Pat Parker and Judy Grahn, and Lesbian Concentrate—a “lesbianthology” in response to a rising wave of homophobia. After leaving Olivia in 1980, Ginny worked for many years in community radio—at KPFA-FM, Pacifica Radio, and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. She worked as Director of Outreach for World Trust Educational Services, an anti-racist educational organization that produces documentary films, curricula, workshops and trainings. She also does racial equity work in her neighborhood as part of Neighbors for Racial Justice. She is the author of Olivia on the Record: A Radical Experiment in Women's Music (Aunt Lute Books).

Laurel Burch Studios

Aarin Burch, president of Laurel Burch Studios is a native San Franciscan with an extraordinary upbringing; she is the daughter of one of the most famed and admired artists and jewelry designers, Laurel Burch. Aarin grew up in the Haight Ashbury of San Fran Francisco where she watched her mother handcraft one-of-a-kind jewelry in their kitchen. Laurel’s zest in life and relentless passion to create and draw deeper connections between us all inspired and created a lasting impact in her daughter Aarin, which ultimately paved the way for her own creative aspirations.

Aarin Burch began her creative journey at the California College of Arts and Crafts where she obtained her BFA and served on the Frameline Board of Directors as an established filmmaker. She’s received notable recognition for her films shown at festivals throughout the world, and established a profound name for herself in both the film and business industries. In recognizing her shared passion for celebrating our inter-connectedness, Aarin has taken on the role as president of Laurel Burch Studios, the art licensing company for the Laurel Burch brand, based in The San Francisco Bay Area.

Aarin travels across the country and around world creating new ways to increase brand awareness while creatively preserving the essence and spirit of her mother’s amazing work. She has been part of the Olivia family since 1991 as a video producer and activity staff extraordinaire. Aarin holds a 5th-degree Blackbelt in Kajukenbo and teaches HipHop dance throughout The Bay Area.

DJ Lady Char

One of the Sacramento's most prominent and musically diverse DJ’s, with club residencies all over California and Nevada. Char travels all over the Bay Area on a weekly basis rocking dance floors with pride. Char has a strong love of not just playing music, but being an active part of the community and our youth. She is an open format DJ who loves to genre hop during her sets, offering each night as a musical journey to her followers.  

Lady Char was raised in the 707 and found her love for music in the beautiful Bay. Char grew up with a family who surrounded themselves with music and dancing and through them she gained a very broad musical taste (80’s, Souls, Reggae, R&B, Hip Hop, Alternative and even Country.) She was introduced to House Music during the late 90’s rave scene and this then paved the way towards her musical career. 

In early 2016 Char started her own after school DJ youth enrichment program where she educates and inspires youth through music and DJ culture. You can find out more about Love Beat DJ Workshops HERE.  

Char takes pride in creating an unforgettable experience for all, in every event she takes part in, big or small. She hopes to move you with music, beats that touch your soul and make you forget about the daily stresses in life. Lady Char is all about love and positivity, she promotes equality and loves to support all those with like minds.  

DJ Campbell

DJ Campbell has delivered over a decade of historic and notorious parties in San Francisco, including Hot Pants, Rebel Girl, and Flourish (featured in the Real L-Word). Add on their long-standing DJ run at the famed Lexington Club dive bar, and mainstage appearances at SF Dyke March and SF Pride, and you’ll appreciate why DJ Campbell holds an iconic status in the SF queer party scene.

It all started with house parties in San Francisco in the late 1990’s. Inspired by the art scene and underground clubs, DJ Campbell was known for serving up an eclectic mix of genres from dance music to indie and pop. The house parties were a launchpad to guest spots at some of the most popular queer dance parties of the era. DJ Campbell’s 1997 nightclub debut at JUNK (The Stud, SF) is captured in Chloe Sherman’s queer documentary photography book “Renegades”.

DJ Campbell is the Chief Technology Officer at YR Media in Oakland, California, feeding their passion for media production.  YR Media is a national network, media, technology, and music training center and platform for emerging BIPOC & LGBTQAI+ content creators.

Motivated to counteract the impact of the pandemic on the LGBTQAI+ community, DJ Campbell’s latest events have focused on uplifting queer joy. You can find them spinning with the collective “A Family Affair” at El Rio in San Francisco, at the annual Pride Day party at Casements in the Mission, and in NYC at “So Emotional”, a reboot of their original sing-a-long love song dance party. DJ Campbell has delivered fun dance parties for Olivians since 2006 and they are excited to dig into their genre-expansive collection to spin the songs you love and make memories for life!