From Beyoncé's new country album to Shania headlining Glastonbury, country music is reaching new heights of popularity. Who are the women leading the charge, who are the icons who inspired them, and how many barriers are still left to be broken?
We speak to one of its biggest female stars, Carly Pearce, who went from working at Dollywood aged 16 to becoming a Grammy and three-time Country Music Association winner.
We explore the sexism still facing women in the industry as female singers remain dramatically underrepresented on US country radio, charts and awards. We also discuss the growth of the genre in the UK, why it's inspired countless films and TV shows, and its history and icons from Dolly Parton and Linda Martell to Patsy Cline.
We're joined by Marissa Moss, author of Her Country; Beverly Keel, co-founder of Change The Conversation; Alex Hannaby, Head of UK at Big Machine; Simeon Hammond Dallas, singer-songwriter; Helen Brown, arts journalist; Professor Francesca Royster, author of Black Country Music; Nicole Taylor, screenwriter; and Zoe Hodges, music journalist.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lucy Wai Editor: Louise Corley
Hollywood film producer Deborah Snyder, Young women and voting, Machinal star Rosie Sheehy
Jing Lusi, Fatal stabbings in Sydney, Australia, Declaration of the Rights of the Child
Weekend Woman's Hour: Juliet open letter, Vogue’s Chioma Nnadi, Female Psychopath
Marian Keyes, Juliet open letter, Swiss climate victory
Gloria Steinem at 90, Rebecca Ferguson, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
The Cass Review, Back to Black, Female Psychopath
Vogue's Chioma Nnadi, Life in a women’s refuge, Parents jailed after son’s mass shooting
Westminster honeytrap scam, What we can learn from toddlers, Saudi Arabia
Weekend Woman's Hour: Pregnancy discrimination, Girls State and Carly Pearce
Rwanda genocide, Bowie's hairdresser, womanhood during Ramadan
Pregnancy discrimination, Prue Leith, Femcels, Social workers on screen
Girls State, Author Holly Gramazio, First female prime minister of the DRC
Scotland's hate crime law, Motherhood and art, Actor Rachael Stirling
Weekend Woman's Hour: Katie Price, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, Biba exhibition
Katie Price, A decade of same-sex marriage, From policing to crime-writing
Biba exhibition, Pupil behaviour, Australian politician Georgie Purcell, Breaking the cycle
Stoning of Women in Afghanistan, Jazz with Zara McFarlane, AI job losses & women
Killed Women campaign, Anti-ageing products and young girls, France birth rate
Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, Breaking the cycle, Musih Tedji Xaviere
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