Evolution Of Female Musicians
In November 2019, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its list of nominees for induction in 2020. Per usual, the nominee list is a predominantly male showcase — of the 16 nominees, only three are women. Further, one of those women is Chaka Khan, who is up for nomination not as a solo artist but as part of Rufus, the group with which she initially found fame.
Yet her solo career has far eclipsed the popularity of Rufus, a Chicago-based funk ensemble that disbanded in 1983. An active musician since 1970, Khan has sold approximately 70 million records and won 10 Grammy awards. So why isn’t she already in the Rock Hall, or at least up for nomination as a solo artist?