Four Bitchin' Babes
Artist Bio
Christine Lavin, the original creative force behind The Four Bitchin' Babes®, had an idea. She had just released "On a Winter's Night," a beautiful compilation CD of winter folk songs by singer songwriter pals. The disc became wildly successful and Chris decided to put together a road show.
Women - she chose to tour with "gal pals." She chose Patty Larkin from the Cambridge, MA area, Megon McDonough from Chicago, and Sally Fingerett, from Columbus OH, and off they went. Starting in Chicago, then on to Boulder, Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and NY, they ended their tour in DC.
By the time they reached DC, the girls had arranged and polished fabulous harmonies, shared clothes, laughed more than legally allowed by law, and spent too much cash while shopping on the road.
Then, Chris had another idea. For their last show in DC, why not "make a memory," throw a Digital Audio Tape into a machine, and record their gig at the Birchmere in Alexandria VA. Therefore, they did.
And The Bitchin' Babes® were born that night.
Buy Me, Bring Me, Take Me, Don't Mess My Hair, Life According to Four Bitchin' Babes Vol I was released on the Philo/Rounder label in 1990, and to this day, is still available. As a live recording, it captures the freshness and excitement of four women, four different songwriters, living four different lives, singing of their own individual experiences as female artists.
And individuals they were. Soon after this recording was released, Patty Larkin signed to record for the Windham Hill Label and took off for an international solo tour, bequeathing her "Babe" chair to New Yorker, Julie Gold. Best known for her Grammy-winning tune, From A Distance, Julie settled in for two years of touring as well as joining the Babes® for Buy Me, Bring Me, Take Me, Don't Mess My Hair, Life According to Four Bitchin' Babes® Vol II, Philo/Rounder, 1993.
With so many brilliant women musicians in their national community, finding someone to substitute for a Babe, either on maternity leave, or ill was not terribly difficult. With guests like Cheryl Wheeler, Janis Ian, and Mary Travers, there would be new songs, new stories, and of course, new clothes and shoes to borrow.
It was the winter of 1993, when DC area songstress Debi Smith boarded a flight with 24 hours notice to sub for the flu stricken Christine Lavin. Without any rehearsal, Debi joined the Babes® on stage, earning her "eyelashes." (Babe version of wings) And so, in February of 1994, when Julie Gold's publisher needed her to be in NY full time, it was a perfect match to invite Debi Smith to become the next permanent Babe.
Of course with a new Babe comes a new recording! Those are the rules! Produced by Dan Green (Sally Fingerett's then husband) Fax It, Charge It, Don't Ask Me What's For Dinner: More Life According To Four Bitchin' Babes®, was released on the Shanachie label in 1995.
By 1997, founding member Christine Lavin was busy with her own show on NY's WFUV Radio, and had plans to tour a solo theater piece. Retiring from the group, Chris recommended Camille West, a "galvanizing" comedic songwriter she had seen at Cafe Lena's, in upstate NY and "just knew she'd be a perfect fit.”
With new member Camille, they once again took to the Birchmere stage to record. With an enormous big boy 24 track-mobile-recording studio-parked outside the club, Gabby Road -Out Of The Mouths Of Babes® (Shanachie 1997) would come to life as the fourth group CD in seven years.
Sally Fingerett, Debi Smith, Megon McDonough, and Camille West would continue to traverse the US and Canada, performing together, stopping only in 2000 to make yet another recording. The Babes® – Beyond Bitchin' produced by Jeff Bova (Celine Dion, Billy Joel, Madonna). On the heels of this first class recording experience, the girls filmed an evening at The Southern Theater in Columbus Ohio, producing a wonderful full-length concert Meet the Babes® DVD Shanachie 2001.
In 2001, original member Megon McDonough would leave the group to cultivate and tour her one-woman cabaret show "An Interesting Bunch of Gals." To assist the Babes® with yet another evolution, legendary New York singer/songwriter Suzzy Roche (of the Roches) would join the girls adding a quirky lovable urban edge.
The Babes® just kept picking up steam, performing for packed houses in theaters and clubs.
Once again, it was time to make a record, so the girls thought they would try something completely different. For Some Assembly Required, Shanachie 2002, each babe chose to record three songs in the studio of her choice, gathering for a Babe Recording Slumber Party in Nashville to lay down their signature harmonies as a group – and viola! - assembly accomplished.
By 2005, after four years of touring in this configuration, the Babes® had shared so many wonderful concert halls, missed flights, back stage laughs, beautiful hotels, and questionable rental cars. Now it was time for the Babes® to CHANGE AGAIN! Camille West chose to pursue her solo career and Suzzy Roche would accept a role with New York's Wooster Group.
This time the Babes' evolution would also be a REVOLATION!
With their new gal pals, Comedian Deirdre Flint (from Philadelphia) and studio vocalist Nancy Moran (from Nashville) by their side, longstanding members Sally Fingerett and Debi Smith took the steam from their hot flashes and cooked up a whole new concept for this "Fabulous Female Folkestra.”
The Babes® vowed to age gracefully, but they would not go quietly! And from this dedication to writing, touring, recording, and traveling with gal pals, came
"HORMONAL IMBALANCE…A Mood Swinging Musical Revue"
From the theatres across the US and Canada, this show proved to be wildly successful, as women of all ages joined with their book clubs, bowling leagues, college reunion events to attend The Babes® estrogen fueled show, for a "HOT" night of music and laughs with a new cast, new tunes, new hair, and of course a new ATTITUDE!
And in 2009, again they evolve and CHANGE, as women are prone to do. They change, their minds, their hair, their men, their jobs, their clothes, and so now Sally, Debi, Deirdre and Nancy, change their songs as they release their newest CD "DIVA NATION...Where Music Laughter and Girlfriends Reign."
Join this Fabulous Female Folkestra for a royally hilarious musical journey as they welcome you to Babesland to navigate life in the nation....Diva Nation, that is!
Reviews and Quotes
"Together they tell humorously observant
tales of modern urban life, and harmonize
like a heavenly chorus."
- The Chicago Tribune
"Traveling Oprah Winfreys!"
- Boston Globe
"The BABES stir the heart as well as the
funny bone."
- Billboard
"A stellar group of contemporary artists
who swim the emotional river with humor
and poignancy."
- The Los Angeles View
Specialties
Ensemble & Group - vocal & instrumental
Genre
Broadway