Thank you for recommending Connie (and my review). I'm looking forward to reading Jessica Hopper's writing.

I always thought that feminist literary criticism was some of the most authentic explication. I would guess that the music criticism is similar.

Re: Connie Smith and others. I think one of the severest limitations on female performers is the fact that their music is almost always filtered through men (in a traditional way). Much of Connie Smith's work was produced by Billy Sherrill and hamstrung by the countrypolitan arrangements that were popular at the time. Marty Stuart's productions are more in keeping with Smith's talents, but they're still the perceptions of a man (albeit a very talented and enlightened one).

I didn't mention another album from 2021, Wanda Jackson's "Encore" (recorded at age 84!). For my taste, it's not as strong a vocal effort as Connie Smith's, but the hallmark of the album is the production by Joan Jett--some of the best producing I've heard from anyone. If female performers were produced by women, how much more would we hear that we're missing? (Ronnie Spector, Tina Turner.....)